Grown Ups featured Adam Sandler and the usual suspects in a movie which had some amusement value in the context of a loose narrative about bringing together childhood friends for a particular event. Three years later, a sequel features many of the same cast in a plot less series of character threads and vignettes, much of which is childish, crude, slapstick, halfwitted, lazy, and occasionally sentimental.

Make no mistake, this is not a very good film. But I wouldn't be fair if I didn't make three points: One, Sandler makes many films where his character is profoundly annoying (I mean fingernails scraping down blackboard annoying). Here his character is likable.

Two, this film doesn't have as much outright cruelty in the humour as its predecessor.

And, three, I hate to admit it, but it made me (and the cinema audience) laugh quite a bit.

I really have to get into the habit of checking Netflix (and the university library) before I go out and rent some movie from Youtube (or the numerous other platfoms that have the movie available) because I discovered, after renting it, that I could have watched this film for free. Anyway, that aside, after watching, and enjoying, the first movie a part of me really wanted to see what happens in the sequel. Well, yeah, it is more of the same, but it still has that rather nice feel good aspect to it.

So, Lenny Feder and his family have decided to leave Hollywood and move back to their home town, though they do end up buying one of the biggest houses on the block. Lenny isn't working, but you get the impression that he really doesn't need to because, well, he has plenty of money as it is. Mind you, you also get the impression that his wife's fashion store isn't doing all that well either, but she doesn't seem to particularly care.

It is the last day of school before the summer holidays, and of course it is a time for people to come to terms with a time era. Lenny has to confront the idea that his wife wants a fourth child, Marcus has to confront the fact that he has a boy, though this particular boy really doesn't seem to like him. Of course, there is also the issue that they aren't young like they were, and the local frat boys are out causing trouble. Oh, and the kids are growing up too, and Kurt needs to deal with the fact that his daughter is dating somebody that he doesn't particularly like.

Look, this one wasn't anywhere near as good as the last one, but it was still pretty enjoyable. Obviously we have more characters, since we are in a small town as opposed to a lakeside retreat, and the conclusion is pretty good as well. I liked how it came out that their kids did in fact has some hidden talents as well, but I guess that has something to do with it being one of those Hollywood films where things do need to turn out right once in a while. Another thing that I appreciated was Sandler's rather casual and laid back nature, which certainly stands out from the image of a stuffy Hollywood agent - and also the fact that he was more than happy to drive the school bus when needed - yeah there were some pretty cool scenes, and the fact that it was just about friends being, well, friends, is what I really did like about these two films.

Sure, the critics weren't all that thrilled with it, but in the end what really counts was the box office, and that certainly put the critic's opinons to shame.

Way too many wannabe critics and haters. How can anyone rate low scores with such an all-star stellar comedic group of actors? This is supposed to be fun and funny mindless entertainment, and it was! I had a permanent smile throughout the entire film, in between all the laugh-out-loud laughs! Excellent casting and acting, and Shaq nailed it. Awesome to so more celebrity appearances. Directing, pacing, runtime and writing were all on point. And the story was excellent, funnier than the first film! This is a collectors film with legend comedic actors, sit back and enjoy it. A well deserved perfect 10/10 from me.