A young boy declares war on his grandpa
after he moves in and takes the boy's bedroom. COMEDY/FAMILY
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The War with Grandpa (2020)Directed by Tim Hill
Written by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember Starring Robert De Niro, Oakes Fegley, Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle, Christopher Walken, Jane Seymour, Cheech Marin, Laura Marano, Poppy Gagnon Based on the book by Robert Kimmel Smith |
The War with Grandpa had been in production hell for nearly three years. I remember hearing about it back in 2017 and thinking it was going to be a complete disaster. Then we finally got a trailer, and it looked passable at best. Believe me when I say my expectations couldn't have been lower, but this was a hilarious family comedy. It's got a hell of a great cast and a lot of funny pranks and gags that the whole family can enjoy. Plus, it's the first time that Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken have worked together since The Deer Hunter. I think that's pretty special.
Peter (Fegley) is upset that his grandpa (De Niro) has moved back in with his family, and taken Peter's bedroom. Peter has been moved to the damp, moldy attic, and he is fed up with never getting a say in things at home. So, he declares war on his grandpa for control of the bedroom, and grandpa retaliates in full force to the point that it starts inadvertently affecting the family. Some of the pranks like a snake in grandpa's bed and the fake life-alert ambulance call are absolutely hysterical. There's just something about De Niro screaming that just cracks me up. I didn't expect to enjoy The War with Grandpa, but it was a happy surprise that I don't think the critics are treating fairly. I guarantee most of them didn't even see the movie before giving it a negative review. As a moviegoer, I can say that this family comedy is worth more than a few laughs and has a great deal of heart. |