Review of Grown Ups 2 (2013) by Leo G — 13 May 2014

Now this is how sequels are done! I never saw the original Grown Ups, but after seeing this powerful film, I will be sure to check it out. Probably the biggest feat attained in this movie is that no prior knowledge of the previous film is needed to understand this one. It's really quite remarkable! Ten minutes in, and I already knew all I needed to know about the characters. Although I hadn't seen the first one, I found this installment quite easy to follow, which is a very good sign. Let's start dissecting this masterwork.

Grown Ups 2 is about a mentally retarded man who is forced to live with the shame of his severe mental handicap. Shunned by society, his only human contact is with his small group of equally retarded friends (each one more mentally challenged than the last). Over the course of two hours, he demonstrates what it is like to be a retarded potato in America today, expertly skewering our mental health care system and society's persecution of people with mental problems. By the end, you will never see a retard the same way again.

Perhaps the greatest acheivement in this film is from Adam Sandler, who normally works in comedy. But he is absolutely gripping here in his very serious and down-to-earth portrayal of the main character, who has a severe case of down syndrome. He also has a malignant brain tumor that eats away at his grey matter, making him increasingly retarded throughout the film. As his mental state deteriorates, the audience can't help but be sucked in. I don't know about you, but I shed a tear when he laughed at Kevin James's "burp snart" (a burp, fart, and sneeze all in one). The thought of a human being becoming retarded and pathetic enough to laugh at such a thing is absolutely gut-wrenching.

Altogether, I give Grown Ups 2 a solid 8/10. This film is masterfully crafted. All I can think is that the people who hated this expected a comedy but instead got a critical indictment of America's views on retardation, and they couldn't handle the pure dramatic intensity of the movie. The people who laughed at this absolutely disgust me. That's like seeing a potato in a wheelchair, drooling out of the left side of his mouth, and laughing at him. Wow. That's fucked up. Anyway, to experience the full dramatic range of Adam Sandler, you must watch this film. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.