Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Daddy's Home
2015
***
Director: Sean Anders
Cast: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini, Scarlett Estevez, Owen Vaccaro, Thomas Haden Church, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Cannavale

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg combined well in The Other Guys, and here they play another odd couple. The mild-mannered Brad (Ferrell) loves to be a dad, even if the children are not his own. Just when he's starting to bond with his wife's son and daughter, their manly and laid-back biological father Dusty (Wahlberg) returns to the family's lives. Once you know the set-up, this family comedy really doesn't offer any surprises. It may be formulaic, but there are enough amusing scenes and performances (Thomas Haden Church is hilarious as Brad's boss) to keep you entertained for 90 minutes. Amidst all this, the wife character is very poorly written. Followed by a 2017 sequel.