Dear Grown-Ups… You will probably not like GROWN UPS.

Lenny Feder (Adam Sandler) is a huge success in his life. He came from a small town and moved his way up to the big time. After his childhood basketball coach passes away, he has to force his spoiled, snooty family back to his hometown for the funeral. While back home, he meets up with his childhood best friends Eric (Kevin James), a salesman with a hot, yet awkward wife, Kurt (Chris Rock), a stay at home dad with a hankering for the Food Network, Marcus (David Spade), a womanizer who has never really matured, and Rob (Rob Schneider), a green, overly sensitive hippy with a ridiculously older wife. In honor of all being together (and since they can’t just rent the place for one night) they rent the old cabin that they use to stay  in, and the five of them reminisce while trying to figure out their weird families…  and say goodbye to their beloved coach.

Have you ever sat with a group of guy friends that try to top each other on insults and burns while getting wasted… Congratulations, you have already seen this movie. I was really let down by this film. I was expecting big laughs, especially with an ensemble cast like this, but ended up extremely let down. Instead of feeling like there was a funny script to go off of, the movie played out like they just blurted out a concept, showed up on set, and said “Ok… make fun of each other”! Don’t get me wrong, some of the jokes made me laugh, but I get the feeling that they don’t have the staying power for a re-watch.

Sidenote, why does David Spade play the same, womanizing character as of late? I don’t know if people are trying to give him some sort of reassurance and validity, but give him a different character already! I loved his “Hollywood Minute” on Saturday Night Live, but his acting as of late is boring and redundant. James and Rock were the only actors who were more  consistent with laughs during this film. Still, they weren’t enough to make the storyline interresting.

Sandler and Salma Hayek, who plays his wife, have no chemistry whatsoever! Although Hayek looks beautiful, she and Sandler have no spark, and don’t mesh well for any sort of a believable couple. The only thing that is believable is that he is rich so she is with him. Heck, the only kiss they share isn’t even a direct hit, it’s a side kiss.

On the plus side, Colin Quinn and Steve Buschemi make appearances. Quite a few of the Happy Madison regulars do, including Tim Meadows, Norm MacDonald, and Blake Clark. It wouldn’t be an Adam Sandler movie without them.

I really would wait til this one comes out on DVD rather than spend the extra money to go see it in the theater.

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5 stars