Grown Ups (Review)

Posted By Dennis Willis on Dec 25, 2010 | 0 comments

GROWN UPS (6/25/10; Comedy) Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek Pinault, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph SCR: Adam Sandler, Fred Wolf DIR: Dennis Dugan MPAA: PG-13 for crude material including suggestive references, language and some male rear nudity. 1 hour 42 mins BOX: $162,001,186

Fortysomthings reunite to honor their middle school coach after he passes away. Of course, that feeble “plot” is merely an excuse to reunite the cast of the 1990-91 season of Saturday Night Live and hope for the best.

Say what you will about SNL’s wavering quality but the lamest episode can produce more laughs than this story-free wreck, which captures exactly one thing: it makes you feel like you’re listening to these old friends riff with each other but never once allows you into the conversation.

Each and every character is drawn in crayon with one defining quirk that allows for the laziest possible humor: fat jokes, boob jokes, old jokes, sex jokes, old sex jokes … it goes on. For what it’s worth, SNL alum Colin Quinn, Tim Meadows and Norm MacDonald show up too. Sandler skewered his own onscreen image in Funny People (2009) but since that film didn’t make any money, he’s back in his warm, happy place, surrounded by friends. (Columbia)