Review of Daddy's Home (2015) by Matthew D — 15 Aug 2016

In Daddy's Home, Will Ferrell plays a stepdad by the name of Brad Whitaker that's trying his hardest to be loved by his two stepchildren. Just as things are starting to turn a corner, along comes their biological father and badass Dusty Mayron (Mark Wahlberg). The movie basically revolves around their battle of one upsmanship and all the antics that ensue.

I wanted to like this movie, I really did. Ferrell and Wahlberg were hilarious in The Other Guys due to their awkward relationship that always looked like it was ready to blow. In this movie however, it feels like more of a case of trying too hard, like things were more forced than funny. Ferrell's character bothered me throughout. Maybe it's because I, myself. am a stepdad. I don't know. What I do know is his character was way too happy-go-lucky and naive for my taste, very one-sided. Think Elf, but even less funny.

It's sad because this movie had a massive potential to be so much better and it wasn't. Despite its shortcomings, I still give Daddy's Home a 68 for not being completely unbearable.