Brad Taggart (Will Ferrell) wants nothing more than to be a great dad, but due to a 'snafu at the dentist' he is unable to father his own children.
So when he meets and falls in love with Sarah (Linda Cardellini), he is more than delighted to become the doting step-father to her two kids – Megan (Scarlett Estevez) and Dylan (Owen Vaccaro).
Before Brad knows it, though, the 'biological', Dusty (Mark Wahlberg), is back in town and keen to reclaim his family. And so we get the soccer step-father facing-off against the cool dad in a battle of responsible beta-male versus charismatic alpha.
There’s no great mystery to a movie like this. If you’re on board with the premise and you enjoy your light comedy then you’re going to have a good time with 'Daddy’s Home'. The humour can be a mite predictable, but the silliness is mostly kept in check and there are plenty of deserved laughs in this family-friendly feature – thanks in no small part to the critical mass of comedic talent on display here. Ferrell and Wahlberg are in fine form, going note for note in their attempts to out-do each other, and their rounded performances ensure that this film remains a solid outing from beginning to end.
The major disappointment in 'Daddy's Home' is in just how little it gives Linda Cardellini and Hannibal Buress to do. Cardellini is well-known for her brilliant comedic work in 'Freaks & Geeks', but in this film she isn’t allowed outside of her sensible-yet-sexy straight-man role. While Buress, whose stand-up brought down Bill freaking Cosby, is only given a bit-role to inhabit – as the tokenistic black man, no less. But these failings are at least somewhat alleviated by the critical examinations of masculinity that the film offers which, at least, are there if you’re looking for them.
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'Daddy’s Home' works as an excellent comedy with the sort of broad appeal that is well-suited to the post-Christmas bloat. Between the taboo slapstick, sassy kid-speak, absurdist improv and family-centric in-jokes, there’s going to be something to appeal to everyone from the younger grandparents to the older grandchildren.
Just don’t expect this to be the most memorable comedy you’ve seen this year. Three out of five devoted step-fathers.
'Daddy's Home' is in cinemas Boxing Day.
