Call me shallow. Call me politically incorrect. But as far as I’m concerned, “Daddy’s Home 2” is an instant holiday classic — right up there with “Home Alone,” “Elf” and “Christmas With the Kranks.”
The film, which stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg and focuses on a blended, dysfunctional family spending the holiday season together, has been savaged by snooty critics. Apparently, they consider themselves above the type of comedy that had my kids rolling in the aisles.
“Daddy’s Home 2 is Trash. Period.” was the headline on Vulture’s excoriation by Emily Yoshida. It’s “moronic in the extreme,” according to David Jenkins of indie film criticism site Little White Lies.
Well, Emily and David, I’ve got some criticism for you: Get over yourselves.
This sequel to 2015’s smash hit “Daddy’s Home” scored a pitiful 16 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Only nine of 56 professional reviewers considered it “fresh” (good).
Meanwhile, 64 percent of the audience polled by the same review aggregation Web site enjoyed it. The flick grossed a respectable $30 million during its opening weekend at the box office.
What’s not to love about the delirious scene in which a manic Ferrell saws down a cellphone tower instead of a pine tree? And the pathetic brawl between grown men dressed in nativity-scene costumes is pants-wettingly funny.
Much of the 1 hour and 38 minute run-time is a genius display of slapstick humor.
Even if, unlike Jodie Foster, you can’t forgive Mel Gibson for his crazy-man rants and record of domestic violence, he does a great turn as Wahlberg’s bad-boy dad. Veteran actor John Lithgow is a brilliant stooge.
Uppity critics are tossing around words such as “toxic” and “mean-spirited.” Predictably, they moan about gender stereotypes and a plot twist that sends Wahlberg’s vegetarian daughter turkey hunting.
Their frigid hearts are not even warmed by the touching musical number staged shortly before the credits roll.
I hope the bah-humbug brigade enjoys its lumps of coal from Santa. I’ve just booked tickets to watch this gem again over Thanksgiving.