Growing Older, Not Growing Up: Dennis Dugan’s 2010 Grown Ups Finds the Fun in Immaturity

Grown Ups is a 2010 comedy film starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider. This cast obviously brings a lot of comedic experience to the movie. Four of the five are Saturday Night Live alumni, and all of them have extensive experience in stand-up comedy, comedy films, and television. Honestly, it is rare to find a comedy with a cast this star-studded. The film is directed by Dennis Dugan, a comedy director who has collaborated with Sandler several times, so he also adds to the huge amount of comedic experience behind the movie.

As expected from this cast, the film is hilarious. There are plenty of genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. Some of the humor comes from the ridiculous situations the characters find themselves in, but I think even more of it comes from the banter between the five leads. Just listening to them interact is funny because you can easily tell how comfortable they are with one another. Their chemistry makes the friendships feel natural rather than scripted.

I also love how each character feels distinct and brings his own style of comedy. One standout is Sandler, a comedian who I am not always the biggest fan of. To me, he can be hit or miss. Sometimes he becomes too over-the-top in a way that stops being funny, while other times he hits the perfect level of goofball. In this film, he is great. His character is a good guy who you cannot help but like. I also have to commend Kevin James for bringing his usual style of physical comedy to the table. Rob Schneider is probably my least favorite of the main group, but this ensemble is so strong that even the weakest member still works well. And last but definitely not least, I cannot ignore Steve Buscemi. While he is more separate from the main group, he absolutely steals the show in almost every scene he appears in.

One possible weakness of the movie is that its style of comedy is not going to appeal to everyone. Some viewers might find it too bro-y or too goofy, so you probably have to enjoy that kind of humor to like the movie as much as I do. Not every joke lands, and some scenes feel like they exist mainly for the sake of a gag.

One of my favorite aspects of the film is the friendship between the main characters. You really get the sense that these people have known each other for years, and at times you almost feel like you are part of their ridiculous friend group. Their relationships have history and depth. They fight, insult each other, and constantly get on each other’s nerves, but at the end of the day, they are still there for one another.

While the guys are middle-aged, the film shows the importance of reconnecting with your youth. It is really fun to hear Sandler and the rest of the group reminisce about their childhood and fall back into the same immature habits they had when they were younger. The movie suggests that growing older does not mean you have to completely lose the playful parts of yourself.

Another message that stands out is the idea that kids need to spend more time playing outside and interacting with people in person rather than constantly staring at screens. It is crazy that this is already a concern in a movie from 2010. Sixteen years later, that message feels even more relevant, especially as more kids get smartphones and tablets at younger ages.

If I have one major complaint about the film, it is that the story is pretty formulaic. You can usually predict exactly what is going to happen and which emotional beats the movie is going to hit. There are not many surprises. However, with performances this funny, great chemistry between the cast, and a surprisingly meaningful message about friendship, family, and staying young at heart, the predictability hardly brings down the movie.