Grown Ups 2: Comparing It To The Original Film

Mei Lin

5 min read

Post on May 12, 2025

4.6

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Plot & Storyline Comparison

The Core Narrative

Grown Ups, released in 2010, centers around five childhood friends who reunite after 30 years for a Fourth of July weekend. The film focuses on their rediscovery of their friendship, their struggles with parenthood, and their attempts to recapture their youthful glory. Grown Ups 2, conversely, sees the group permanently relocated to the same town, facing new challenges related to their children's high school experiences and navigating the complexities of suburban life.

• Grown Ups: Key plot points include a basketball game, a disastrous attempt at a romantic evening, and the overall theme of confronting the realities of adulthood.
• Grown Ups 2: Key plot points revolve around the high school antics of their children, a neighborhood feud, and a school fundraiser gone wrong.

The comedic pacing in Grown Ups is relatively well-structured, building to several laugh-out-loud moments. Grown Ups 2, however, feels somewhat rushed, with the jokes often feeling crammed together, reducing their overall impact. While the original's narrative is more focused, the sequel tries to juggle too many storylines simultaneously, leading to a less cohesive and satisfying experience.

Character Development

In Grown Ups, we see glimpses of character development, especially in Lenny Feder's (Adam Sandler) journey as a father. The sequel, however, largely retreads the same ground. While the characters face new challenges, their core personalities remain unchanged, resulting in a lack of significant growth or evolution.

• Lenny Feder: Remains largely the same, albeit dealing with more teenage angst.
• Eric Lamonsoff (Kevin James): Continues to be the awkward, slightly overweight friend.
• Kurt McKenzie (Chris Rock): His character arc is minimal in both films.
• Marcus Higgins (David Spade): His cynical persona is consistent across both films.
• Rob Hickenlooper (Rob Schneider): His eccentric traits are exaggerated in the sequel.

The introduction of new characters in Grown Ups 2, while providing some additional comedic opportunities, ultimately doesn't significantly enhance the overarching narrative or character arcs. The relationships between the main characters remain largely static; the camaraderie is present, but there’s little sense of deepening bonds or significant conflict resolution.

Humour and Comedic Style

The humor in Grown Ups relies heavily on slapstick comedy, physical gags, and observational humor targeting the absurdities of parenthood and adult life. Grown Ups 2 largely replicates this formula, albeit with less finesse. The humor in the sequel often feels repetitive and predictable, lacking the originality and freshness of the original.

Types of Humor

• Grown Ups: Blends slapstick with more subtle observational humor, striking a reasonably balanced comedic tone.
• Grown Ups 2: Over-relies on slapstick and juvenile humor, sacrificing nuance and subtlety for cheap laughs.

Many of the jokes in Grown Ups 2 fall flat, relying on familiar tropes and predictable scenarios. While there are moments of genuine laughter, they are infrequent, failing to match the consistent comedic success of the original.

Target Audience

Both films primarily target a mature audience, particularly those who appreciate raunchy humor and relatable situations surrounding parenthood and friendship. However, Grown Ups 2 veers more heavily into juvenile humor, potentially alienating some of the more mature viewers who enjoyed the original. The sequel's attempts at broader appeal ultimately fall short, failing to connect effectively with a wider demographic.

Cast and Performances

The returning cast delivers largely similar performances in both films. Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider reprise their roles with recognizable comedic timing and energy. However, the overall comedic delivery feels less refined in the sequel, possibly due to the less sharp writing.

Individual Actor Performances

While each actor maintains their established comedic persona, the individual character arcs lack depth in Grown Ups 2, hindering the potential for truly memorable performances.

Chemistry and Dynamics

The onscreen chemistry and camaraderie between the cast members remain a strength in Grown Ups 2. Their established rapport is undeniable, yet the lackluster script hinders the full potential of their comedic synergy.

Critical Reception and Box Office Success

Grown Ups received mixed reviews, with critics criticizing its reliance on predictable humor and uninspired storytelling. However, it was a significant box office success, grossing over $271 million worldwide. Grown Ups 2, on the other hand, was critically panned even more severely, cited for its unoriginality and reliance on low-brow humor. While it still achieved box office success with over $130 million worldwide, this paled in comparison to its predecessor.

• Grown Ups: Rotten Tomatoes score: 29%, Metacritic score: 36.
• Grown Ups 2: Rotten Tomatoes score: 7%, Metacritic score: 27.

Conclusion

In summary, Grown Ups 2 falls considerably short of its predecessor. While the returning cast offers some familiar comedic charm and the core friendships remain engaging, the sequel's weak plot, repetitive humor, and lackluster character development prevent it from achieving the same comedic heights as the original Grown Ups. The reliance on crude humor and predictable scenarios ultimately makes Grown Ups 2 a disappointing follow-up. Ultimately, whether you consider Grown Ups 2 worthwhile depends on your tolerance for less refined humor and a less cohesive story.

Have you seen both Grown Ups films? Share your opinions and comparisons in the comments below! Let's discuss whether Grown Ups 2 was a worthy addition to the Grown Ups franchise, or a disappointing sequel. Join the conversation about Grown Ups 2!