Grand-Daddy Day Care

Seeing these actors from the 70s and 80s try to lift this pathetic script into a comedy is sad and pathetic. This movie has as many laughs as a book of carpet samples. Just terrible.

Grand-Daddy Day Care (2019) is mildly amusing at times. It is a bit predictable and formulaic. Its faults are often more easily recognized than its virtues. Unfortunately, it often seems to shoot itself in the foot by emphasizing political correctitude over humor.

Frank (Reno Wilson) is an African-American married to Hispanic-American Emma (Roxana Ortega), which provides an element of politically-correct, socially-aware diversity and inclusion, as well as comedic and dramatic opportunities for conflict over cultural differences. But these aren't explored. The current Hollywood ethos demands that characters be interchangeable. James Bond doesn't need to be Scottish or even British, Anglo-Saxon or male. He could be a black female. But interchangeable characters tend to be shallow. Filmmakers seem to think audiences want diversity, rather than complex, three-dimensional characters and seem loath to suggest any conflicts arising out of cultural differences, as that might be perceived as demeaning one culture or the other.

Emma's father Eduardo (movie tough guy Danny Trejo) never approved of Frank and thought he wasn't good enough for his daughter, but the reasons are left vague. The characters aren't given any challenge to overcome. Instead, the conflict is minimized by saying that every father feels that way - it's nothing personal. Besides, Eduardo secretly admires Frank. But this also minimizes the potential for drama and comedy.

Frank's son Jordan (Anthony Gonzalez) is enamored with classmate Annie (Jayden Bartels) who seems to be the most beautiful girl at school. Jordan is awkward, insecure, awkward and inexperienced. Annie is popular, talented, outgoing and inexplicably unattached, but interested in Jordan for reasons that are not at all clear. Again, rather than developing conflicts for comedic potential, they are ignored or minimized. Yes, she is interested, but her concept of a steamy relationship seems to be hanging out together while maintaining an appropriate physical separation and discussing nothing at all while staring off into space contemplating the wonderfulness of inclusion riders.

It's distressing to think this might represent the future of comedy in a society more concerned with political correctitude and not triggering snowflakes than making people laugh at the differences that simultaneously separate and unite us. John Vorhaus defines comedy as truth and pain. Grand-Daddy Day Care seems determined to avoid pain. But in so doing, it also avoids truth. We're given shallow two-dimensional caricatures rather than fully-developed characters. But aren't they diverse?

Let me lead off with being a fan of nearly every performer in this movie. I've seen, and gone out of my way to see, most of these actors works, whether it be on TV or the big screen. I know family friendly comedies will be safe, middle-of-the-road and take few risks so I watch it with all these expectations. Safe but entertaining, amusing and a chance to see some faces you don't see much these days (Hal Linden, Julia Duffy, Barry Bostwick, George Wendt, James Hong, Linda Gray). The idea of a stymied author making some much needed money on the side by taking in various elderly folks in the neighborhood so they can also keep his newly-moved-in father-in-law (Danny Trejo) company is fine. However, some of these folks aren't that old, yet they have them behave...across the board...as decrepit, frail, clueless, just out of it. Take every old person stereotype you can think of, it's here. Take every old person "joke" and it's them. The writer of the movie seems to have forgotten that old people don't think of themselves as old, most of the time. They are just people that sometimes get held back by their age, but their interests and desires are not "old". The people in this were young in the 60s, 70s and 80s, but they don't use references or show interests that reflect that. Again, it's just really rough, broad stereotypes, skeletons of characters never fleshed out. A movie that could have been Grumpy Old Men (and Women) on steroids becomes a cringe-worthy exercise in laughing *at*, not with, the elderly. The cast deserved so much better than this.

While I dont doubt these actors could do a great job with a good script, story, etc. it is very telling that the absolute A-lister top of the bill person for this movie is washed up Danny Trejo.

Bad writing, bad plot, bad jokes, bad effects (what few there are).

We couldnt even finish the movie. I want my dollar back.

I really liked this movie. It's difficult sometimes to find a movie like this that the whole family can watch. It was very funny and I liked the actors--they really drew me in. There wasn't a dull moment in this movie and it kept my attention throughout. It was so good to simply relax, not have to worry about violence or swear words, and you can learn from the characters as well. I'm looking forward to seeing more movies like this.