Speaking of dismal output, this eighth summer weekend continues to chug up shit mountain as it doots out two more horrible stretches of celluloid on our sweaty faces. First up is the miserable Adam Sandler comedy Grown Ups, which is followed closely on the hills by Tom Cruise's generic action yarn Knight and Day. Yawn. Just because the guy dances up a storm at the MTV Movie Awards doesn't mean his latest harbinger of bore is going to be any good for the masses. But don't take my word for it. I'm just speculating on what I've seen in the trailers and on the Internet. Oh, and my own dislike for pretty much every single one of Adam Sandler's abysmal, humorless attempts at breaking the box office piggy bank. His comedies are critically derided at every turn, yet this king of stupid knows how to turn a mean profit. And do you really like Tom Cruise now? Or are you just enjoying his publicist's attempts at making us forget that he's a crazy-insane Scientologist from the planet Teegeeack?
As I do every week, I have gone in search of my movie-going wisdom by hitting up all of my favorite critical hubs to hear what they have to say about this week's torrid poo-flurry of flickering light. Does Grown Ups indeed suck? Let's find out, shall we? (And remember, you can read the full reviews by click on the links provided}:
Hollywood & Fine's Marshall Fine:
" It's been a long time since I saw a movie as lazy as (this). This film has only the suggestion of a script. Douchebags. Rather than offer actual punch lines, the film seems to consist of ad-lib wisecracks and insults. There is very little that the five sluggish comics do that's actually funny. This is why Generation X is doomed. (This) is a scam on the audience - a paid vacation for its stars masquerading as a movie that people will actually pay to watch."
Orlando Sentinel's Roger Moore:
"A generous helping of peeing in the pool, skid mark, fart, pedophilia and breast feeding jokes. a big crowd of slapstick-happy actors playing things as broadly as possible, slinging insults. Many generic situations. And the usual dollop of Sandler sentiment smothers many laughs as we see parents wanting their indulged, over-stimulated kids to put down the DS-3 and experience a "normal" childhood. The movie's eye-rolling moments outnumber its laughs."
The Village Voice's Nick Pinkerton:
"The men are either unfunny or useless. (The) comic timing here is a snap-snap-let's-go rush to the next "outrageous" moment: potentially fatal pratfalls, repeated public urination, crotch hits, gushers of breast milk, Grandmama's infected big toe, Coach's ashes blown over a prominently displayed bucket of KFC Grilled Chicken. Lazy stuff. A gridlock of gags and plotlines, with conflicts and assigned traits dropped and hastily retrieved as needed."
Cinemablend:
" The movie isn't just unbearably smug, it's also incredibly lazy, dispensing entirely with plot and assuming that the five lead actors riffing off one another will be enough for 90 minutes of entertainment. That would have been a tough sell even back in the 90s. But now it's basically intolerable. Whatever jokes aren't utterly predictable or unfunny to begin with are ruined by flatfooted direction. And the film's hard right turn into plot and emotional lessons in the last 10 minutes merely highlights what a waste of time everything that came before it has been. No one is spared from the movie's idiocy. You may be astonished at how much dumber the movie can get, or how many times it repeats the same fat joke expecting another laugh."
Slant Magazine's Nick Schager:
"Adam Sandler spends more time laughing at jokes than making them. The slackest, shabbiest comedy in the star's increasingly dreadful oeuvre. A tale about zero, zilch, and not a single freaking thing. There's no story to speak of. There's nothing to the slipshod proceedings but tossed-off wisecracks that seem to have been made up on the spot. A-list masturbation. So flimsy that it even fails to develop the maturation-of-the-man-child dynamic suggested by its title."
The Sydney Morning Herald's Paul Byrnes:
"Dead in the water. A juvenile comedy in search of a consistent tone, which it never finds. There's no sense of discrimination. How did they entice so many fine women with such a woman-hating script?"
Cuming Soon's Ed Douglas:
"A ridiculously cumbersome ensemble cast leaves little room for any of them to really stand out. It's hard not to feel they're just hacking it out at this point. With a minimal story, it really just feels like they're making it up as they go along. The women aren't given much to do. (It's) fodder for adolescent boys and pea brains. You've sat through so much garbage, there's very little any sort of feel-good ending can do to save it. A movie that's too much of a muddled mess to be enjoyed."
Urban Cinefile's Louise Keller:
"Did you hear about the person who slipped on the banana skin? Well, in this case, it's more about did you see who was slapped by the dehydrated banana. Bad taste, cheap laughs, puerile humor and slapstick. Everything is offensive. (The film) lacks finesse. Dennis Dugan never manages to set the tone on any level that is credible. Yes, the film's a turkey."
There you have it. The critics don't lie. Adam Sandler's latest comedy Grown Ups is the epitome of suck.
Grown Ups was released June 25th, 2010 and stars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph. The film is directed by Dennis Dugan.






Comments (29)
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Messenger
Another thing, the movie is called "Grown ups" and I think the dynamic they were going for was to have this title paralleled with the immature humor. That's the point from what I can tell. As I've said before I've not seen this movie yet, I'm just going from what I've read.
2 years agoby @messengerFlag
joekerr2e
@Messenger ... exactly my point! I will say this, catch while the theater is packed with kids. I know it sounds like a horrible idea, but myself and the other adults in the theater were in stitches because of all the little ones laughing so hard. I'm not sure I would've enjoyed it nearly as much if it wasn't for my son crackin' up beside me.
2 years agoby @joekerr2eFlag
Messenger
LOL I hate critics, they see a movie like this and they KNOW it's going to be this type of flick and they still seem surprised that it's exactly as they expected. Morons, complete morons, I haven't seen the movie and I expect it to be a mild comedy with immature humor, nothing more.
2 years agoby @messengerFlag
Vito86
To think i was going to pay to see this movie...
2 years agoby @vito86Flag
TheDude1
Estimates for Saturday show that Grown Ups made another 14.5 million. This movie should easily pass 40 million for the weekend.
2 years agoby @thedude1Flag
joekerr2e
Took my son to it last night. F'ing sold out except for the last show... so we got in. Yes, it is a lot of easy tongue-in-cheek humor and it is moving from one laugh to another. It started out hilarious and then slows down by the end (tried to have a moral to the story moment).
Look, if you want a brilliant story and something that makes you think, you don't go see a movie with these guys in it... period. Sandler does the occasional drama, but I'm sure only an idiot would go see this thinking they'd find the meaning to life.
I'm guessing most of the laughter in the theater was fueled by half the kids in there laughing first, but we had a fun night at the movies and it was worth the money to see my son laughing so hard at times that he couldn't keep his popcorn in his mouth.
SPOILER: Don't take your kid if they still believe in the tooth fairy. Mine doesn't, but I was crackin' up when I heard some parents trying to explain this to their kids in the theater... hence: PG-13!!!
2 years agoby @joekerr2eFlag
Jimthar
it seems to me that this guy doesnt really like anything. most of his 'reviews' drift towards the 'it sucked' side of the field. or more appropriately the 'i'm an eliteist douchebag and am too good for the world' side of the field. people like that are never happy with anything. granted he gave TS3 good remarks but there were still 3 movies in there that he sh*t on. 2 of which i dont think he's even seen. so i choose to ignore this guys tirades and decide for myself. i'll go see all of these movies on my own and will decide if they suck or not. something tells me they wont.
2 years agoby @jimtharFlag
jskillet
did anyone read the line "critics dont lie" see what they say must be true. i find that bullsh*t. i haven't seen it myself personally, but i agree with some of you. how can they say it sucked without seeing it first. i want them to go see it and make them post another review about how horribly wrong they were. at least they got toy story 3 right.
2 years agoby @jskilletFlag
Ryan Moran
looks pretty dumb but i will maybe give it a chance
2 years agoby @nightwing18Flag
Mutant
It depends on your mood, if I feel in the mood to laugh then I watch Two and a Half Men or a good goofy film like this. I don't go to see another comedy for the sake of it if I'm not in the mood, otherwise I'll be ripping it apart.
2 years agoby @zenderFlag
Emmytt
this movie will suck very bad
2 years agoby @emmyttFlag
Amehican12
the critics dont know sh*t about movies...the only moves they like is gay sh*t like brokeback mountain...saw this movie today and it was funny...dont be mad critics that yall lives suck and you cant be funny and be geniuses like sandler and chris rock! b1tches! movies are awesome and critics are the worst thing about movies and get proven wrong by the audience everytime
2 years agoby @amehican12Flag
SCREENWRITER
I like Adam Sandler. I'm sure I'll still like it.
2 years agoby @the-screenwriterFlag
JonSpidey07
skipping another piece of sh*t from Hollywood
2 years agoby @jonspidey07Flag
Red Camera Man
I'm not interested in this movie either. It looks stupid and I'm skipping this for sure!
2 years agoby @redcameramanFlag
mystery-man
f * c k the critiks, if you wanna see it than see i think it looks funny and im gonna go see it!!!
2 years agoby @nivleFlag
TheDude1
Didn't the critics also hate such Adam Sandler movies as Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore? Thats what I though. Critics reviews mean nothing.
@marcusx Sandler has been in a few good movies since Happy Gilmore. The Wedding Singer, The Water Boy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, and Anger Management were all great Adam Sandler movies. Also this movie will make about 40 million this weekend and TS3 will make about 60. Not exactly stomping it out. Grown Ups will make profit anyways so what is your point?
2 years agoby @thedude1Flag
Emmytt
Todd89 i agree
2 years agoby @emmyttFlag
Mutant
I don't like Kevin James, the only thing that made his show was his wife and her father. At least they were funny.
Adam's films I do like but his humor can be over the top sometimes.
Rob, well he's just funny looking.
Chris Rock I can't get enough of and David Spade also has his moments.
2 years agoby @zenderFlag
Emmytt
like i said this will suck
2 years agoby @emmyttFlag
I AM FRATSON
"A generous helping of peeing in the pool, skid mark, fart, pedophilia and breast feeding jokes. a big crowd of slapstick-happy actors playing things as broadly as possible, slinging insults." - that is EXACTLY what i expected and wanted from this movie!!!
2 years agoby @iamfratsonFlag
Marcusx
Appleton's only job is to gather reviews and post them here without having seen the film. Typically i disagree with whatever the verdict is on every one of his articles, HOWEVER, anything with David Spade and Rob Schneider BLOWS. And Adam Sandler hasnt been good since Happy Gilmore. All of his movies have been absolutely terrible. Its a shame that Chris Rock decided to be a part of this cast and the same goes with Kevin James. James is very funny and he had a great show and a hilarious Stand-Up. Then he gets involved with Sandler and their production studios and give us fims like Chuck & Larry and Paul Blart. Give Kevin James his own film with a cast that wasnt from SNL. Then we can really see him shine.
Also, it wouldnt matter if this film was good, Toy Story 3 is going to stomp it out this weekend and midweek next week we will have another Twilight film. That alone will rake in $200 Million at least, then Toy Story will take second with $30-$40 Million simply because the audiences will flock to Pattinson and Stewarts 3rd Vampire love story. Then Eclipse will take the following weeks top box office and then it will fizzle out to nothing.
Sorry this was so long
2 years agoby @marcusxFlag
Emmytt
@saints18 dont care
2 years agoby @emmyttFlag
Keizer_Ghidorah
Wait, so I can get my own column just by writing a couple of purile, snarky comments, then cutting and pasting other people's work? F*cking A! Where do I sign?
2 years agoby @keizer-ghidorahFlag
Diaigma
That's not a real surprise.
I'll help you with next weekend's article, Billy.
Eclipse = Suck . . . because that's what vampires do . . .
Airbender = A for Awesome
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
Saints18
You cant say "First up is the miserable Adam Sandler comedy Grown Ups" without even seeing it first. I think critics and anyone putting their two cents on a movie website should refrain from these type of comments before they even see the movie they are talking badly about. I understand that people have opinions what you implied is that you saw the movie and its miserable. Not right. You can say, it looks miserable or it looks stupid but not what you said. This specific column every week sucks and you know why I can say that...its because I read it.
2 years agoby @saints18Flag
Emmytt
@monkeyiron it was?
2 years agoby @emmyttFlag
Monkeyiron
I saw it was funny
2 years agoby @monkeyironFlag
Emmytt
this movie will suck
2 years agoby @emmyttFlag