When watching this film for the first time I was very unsure of what to expect for the tandem of Robert De Niro and Zac Efron, a duo that I’m not sure that I ever expected to star together (especially in a comedy). While they worked incredibly well together, I was most impressed by how wonderfully each actor stepped out of the realm of their typical roles and portrayed these unique roles (to them) in a fashion that would have made you believe they were who they said they were. Efron’s Jason Kelly was a down to earth, somewhat prude, lawyer who is afraid of his fiancé; this is significantly different than his roles in 17 Again (2009) and Neighbors (2014) where he portrayed what can only be considered a popular, party boy. Similarly, De Niro stepped out of the shoes of Michael in The Deer Hunter (1978) and Louis Cyphre in Angel Heart (1987) and into the shoes of Dick Kelly, the raunchy, flirtatious grandfather of the aforementioned Jason. He filled these shoes quite well and nearly caused me to forget about his previous roles while watching this film. The acting in this film was actually very good, but, it was De Niro, alone, that stole the show and truly made the film a lot of fun. His character was multidimensional, both making fun of Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman’s Bradley for being gay and still managing to sympathize with and protect him when others teased him for the same reason. Writer, John Phillips, did a phenomenal job of creating these two main characters and having them develop over the course of the film; Jason loosened up while Dick became more appreciative and accepting of the things around him. I believe that it was this growth that took the film a step further than just being your typical comedy. These character developments played a huge role in the story and allowed the audience to become engrossed in what was happening throughout. I laughed out loud on numerous occasions and was able to connect to the characters and their hardships. While the story was predictable from the very beginning, I thought that it was still enjoyable and kept me engaged. This is one film that will, for sure, help you escape whatever it is you might want to get away from and help you relax and let loose for almost two hours. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1860213/?ref_=nv_sr_1
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