Daddy’s Home might have a few laughs but it’s just another forgettable Will Ferrell comedy with sloppy writing and jokes that mostly are lame than actually funny, not to mention a sugar-heavy ending that was just awful, though family friendly I guess.
Daddy’s Home
(2015)
REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall
Genre(s): Comedy
Paramount | PG13 – 95 min. – $39.99 | March 22, 2016
Date Published: 04/08/2016 | Author: The Movieman
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THE MOVIE – 2.5/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: Brad (WILL FERRELL), who always dreamed of having the perfect family, is determined to become the best step-dad to his new wife’s (LINDA CARDELLINI) children (SCARLETT ESTEVEZ, OWEN VACCARO). But when their biological father Dusty (MARK WAHLBERG) shows up unexpectedly, Brad’s idyllic family life is turned upside down and he must go toe-to-toe with Dusty. Note: This review contains spoilers.
Quick Hit Review: On the surface, it would appear Daddy’s Home was comedy gold. Will Ferrell, albeit hardly a guarantee for laughs, is talented with comedy and Mark Wahlberg has proven to have comedic chops as seen in Ted and The Happening, put these two, who are oil and water, and what do we get? A half baked script with few laughs and cringe-worthy product placement. I’d say the best parts of the movie, the few anyway, involved Thomas Haden Church while everyone else, including Cardellini playing Ferrell’s wife, were annoying; why is it she didn’t take care of her ex (i.e. sending him packing?). Then you get to a forced happy ending (a dance-off) which doesn’t work and had more eye-rolls than laughs.
Co-scripted and directed by Sean Anders (Horrible Bosses 2, That’s My Boy), Daddy’s Home is not what I would call a “terrible” film as I did manage to laugh a few times but it’s one of Ferrell’s weaker, and even lazier, comedy vehicles that I guess his super-fans will enjoy, but it won’t be remembered a year from now. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.0/5 |
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This release comes with a semi-glossy slip cover. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy as well as a standard DVD Copy. The Making of Daddys’ Home (11:54; HD) is a look at how the film was made and features interviews with the cast (including Ferrell and Wahlberg) and crew. Daddy-Off (6:44; HD) is more interviews with Ferrell and Wahlberg as they discuss how their characters compete to be the “Best Dad” and how they eventually learn to share a common ground (i.e. watch this instead of the entire movie). Daddy Daughter Dance (5:11; HD) – Will and Mark bust out their best moves in this behind-the-scenes look at the Daddy Daughter Dance scene. Halftime Stunt (8:55; HD) – This breaks down the NBA halftime stunt by Sean Anders and Will Ferrell. Tony Hawk: Skater Double (4:02; HD) – Experience the ultimate reveal as world-famous skateboarder Tony Hawk gets back on the halfpipe while double for Will Ferrell’s character during the skateboard stand-off between dads. Child Play (5:00; HD) – This featurette showcases the talents of the child actors who play Dylan and Megan. Hannibal Buress: The Perfect Houseguest (5:36; HD) is a behind-the-scenes featurette about rising comedic star Hannibal Buress and how he became involved in the film. Blooper-Jeet Kune Do (2:05; HD) is some gag reel footage. Deleted & Extended Scenes (7:38; HD) – There are five scenes that were cut down or excised probably due to pacing issues. None of these were particularly comedy gold… |
VIDEO – 4.75/5 |
| Paramount releases Daddy’s Home onto Blu-ray presented with a 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer (MPEG-4 AVC codec). The video detail is fairly sharp throughout and given this is a comedy colors are generally bright and cheerful. There were no major signs of artifacts or aliasing making for a pleasing transfer. |
AUDIO – 4.0/5 |
| For whatever reason, this comedy received the new(ish) DTS:X track (decodes to DTS-HD MA 7.1 for older systems) and while it’s not bad or anything, providing for clean dialogue levels, it is a bit overkill. That said, the lossless track makes good use for the score and soundtrack so at least there is some nice depth to it. |
OVERALL – 2.75/5 |
| Overall, Daddy’s Home might have a few laughs but it’s just another forgettable Will Ferrell comedy with sloppy writing and jokes that mostly are lame than actually funny, not to mention a sugar-heavy ending that was just awful, though family friendly I guess. The Blu-ray released by Paramount offers great video, solid audio and an OK selection of bonus material. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.