rentable yarn

Rating: 7/10 (3 February 2005)

Fun and humorous. I laughed a great deal. The first while was a bit bland, but the comedy really emerged in the latter half, especially with the addition of Hoffman and streisand (sporting quite the plastic surgery, talk about smooth, doll-like, plasticity skin... wow).
This kind of comedy is situational. It takes situations and explores the comic possibilities inherent in it. It pushes situations to the limit. In that sense, it takes you on a roller-coaster ride that is highly entertaining, albeit imperfect. owen Wilson's cameo was unforgettable as the inter-faith preacher. Hoffman was a little over the top, but it worked. Some of the "sincere, touching" moments didn't seem to fit in this movie, and streisand was annoying, with her plasticity face bouncing around and her new agey attitude (ample cleavage shots served as a not so unpleasant distraction, but you have to wonder about the naturalness of those assets). Some really classic moments, like the statues with giant members and the books about having a happy vagina.
But overall it has a sort of "been there, seen that" feel, but not enough to detract from the enjoyment of it. It just has loads in common with other movies of the same ilk, from Meatballs to Naked Gun. People caught in awkward situations, with a healthy dose of potty humour thrown in for good measure.
I was amused. It's nice to see DeNiro in fine form. Ben Stiller was hilarious and the bit about his "fifteen year old son" who acts exactly like him and looks damn similar really cracked me up as well. Blythe Danner is just gorgeous and classy.
This is one of those movies with lots of physical comedy and classic moments that stick with you, much like the type of humour from the old screwball comedies from days of yore such as Bringing Up Baby. It's well done and a nice, ripping yarn. Like I stated, it's not perfect and far from classic, but it's a satisfying sequel to the original, which, in all honesty, is more consistently funny. You may want to rent it, though, as opposed to running out to the nearest cinema.