Grown Ups is a reunion of five friends who won their junior high school basketball championship in 1978. Unfortunately, the gathering was initially brought by the death of their beloved coach.
The movie revolves around the reminiscing of childhood mischief and reuniting families again. Despite mild sexual humors and innuendos, brief rear nudity, crude language, implied pre-marital sex, and racial discrimination (“…midget Filipino fancy…” – Gloria), Grown Ups awakens the viewers of the importance of family and friendship.
Among the notable issues that were handled are:
1. Lenny’s concern on the spoiled upbringing of his children.
2. Lenny’s children are beginning to learn how to live a normal child’s life.
3. Roxanne slows down to spend some quality time with her family.
4. Kurt’s longing for a conversation with his wife.
5. Eric’s courage to face his real status in life – unemployed.
6. Lenny deliberately loses a basketball game to Dickie for Dickie to experience a sense of victory and to teach his son how to handle loss in stride and humility.
Grown Ups attempts to bring values to a comedy but it takes a reflective audience to recognize its message because the impact of life’s lessons that can be learned are overshadowed by fleeting comedic antics and banter.
(3, 2.5/5)
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© rooks 2010
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