Director : Sam Anders
Cast: Will Farrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini and Scarlett Estevez
The plots they come up with these days would, in the old days, make a sailor blush. These days they find their way into films. Or what would one say of “Daddy’s Home.” It is a sort of war between fathers and step-fathers. And though it raises enough laughs, credibility goes out of the window.
Brad Whitaker (Will Farrell) is a kind-hearted radio executive who wants to be the best possible step-father to his wife Sara’s (Linda Cordellini) two kids Megan (Scarlett Estevez) and Dylan (Owen Vaccaro).
But the fly in the ointment is the return of the free-wheeling biological father Dusty Mayron (Mark Wahlberg) who is initially warmly welcomed by the good-natured Brad much to the chagrin of his wife Sara. But the children naturally bond with him and that poses a major problem.
In an anything-you-can-do-I-can-do-better sort of way they provide humour though much of it is slapstick with poor Sara a helpless spectator, though it must be said her character is paper-thin. But there are also some very touching and emotional moments.
The screenplay by Sam Anders and Brian Burns is generally mundane and unable to hold the viewers attention and director Anders isn’t able to cover up for this major lapse. After a promising start it lapses into a rather dull middle and could have been better edited. That it picks up towards the end does not make up for the damage already done.
Will Farrell does his best in the lead role but isn’t always convincing but Mark Wahlberg does much better as an actor with his reputation is expected to do. Linda Cardellini is really beautiful but she gives little indication of her emoting powers while both kids Scarlett Estevez and Owen Vaccaro are just nominal. If one has to look for plus points it is Julio Macal’s caressing camerawork.
“ Ervell E. Menezes
