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Things were so bad at one point that I decided I'd better polish my rusty programming skills, just in case I had to get a real job. The last thing I'd worked on was an e-commerce application written in Django, so I started building a forms-based application to manage Software Carpentry workshops.
All of that might have been manageable, but while it was going on my wife and I decided to sell our house to get away from a toxic neighbor. And since we were doing that, it seemed only sensible to go and spend a year in England while our daughter was still young enough to actually want to hang out with her parents. Meanwhile, angered by Gamergate and a bunch of other things, I approached a bunch of people about organizing a two-day workshop for grassroots get-into-tech groups focused on women, minorities, the physically and mentally challenged, people coming out of prison, and everyone else who didn't fit the Silicon Valley mold.
Each of these things was worth doing, but together they were too much.
As Jesse said, you can't be all in on everything. All you can do is run dry, and I did. When we discovered that UK visa rules had changed and we'd only be able to spend six months overseas instead of the year we'd hoped for, I had no reserves left. When we had to find a place in England long-distance, pack up a house, and deal with my father's cancer diagnosis, I had nothing to fall back on.
The sensible response would have been to scale back, but I couldn't. I mean that literally: I was hooked on being plugged in every bit as much as my two-packs-a-day father was hooked on cigarettes, and it was every bit as unhealthy. And of course when email withdrawal made me twitchy I started making more mistakes, which meant more things went wrong, which made me feel even more that I had to get online and sort it all out—all of it, whether it was important or not, and my family paid the price. Programmers never used to talk about stuff like this at least, none of the ones I knew did when I was around to hear it , but it's more important than programming languages or elevator pitches.
No one should be ashamed to say, "That's worth doing but I'm not going to do it. My father never managed to quit smoking. I don't think I'll ever stop wanting to do everything that needs doing, but for my family's sake as well as my own I'm going to try to get it under control. And if you're who I was when I was 25 or 35, please don't wait until you're in your forties or fifties to start talking about this kind of thing. However, in the end there are not quite enough laughs to make me give it a recommendation.
As I said in my summary line, the movie is quite formulaic; you can really predict what will happen before it actually happens throughout. Since there are no surprises, it becomes very difficult for the movie to pull the rug out under the audience and generate laughs. There are many comedies that are much worse than this, I admit, but in the end it's only a movie to watch when something else in your home is asking for your primary attention. Was this review helpful?
Sign in to vote. Daddy's Home is an awful movie with a very poorly developed storyline that is all a set up for poor jokes, and an impressive comedic cast that all just felt wasted. There are some funny parts in it, but sadly those parts were also in the trailer, so we are left with good bits that are no longer funny cause we've seen them all already, and a ton of lame, immature jokes such as watching Will Ferrell get electrocuted or a ridiculous dance off between Mark Wahlberg and Bill Burr. Ferrell and Wahlberg really weren't the stars of this movie because any chemistry that the two certainly have is thrown away with poor development, as well as the fact that both of their characters are unlikeable, it was hard to tell who we were suppose to root for, neither of them was really an antagonist or protagonist.
The only two people who really seemed to enjoy being a part of this movie were Thomas Haden Church and Hannibal Buress, they did have me genuinely laughing in their scenes, and for the time they're on screen we can forget about how poor, unfunny, poorly edited and regretful this movie is. Lacking energy, heart and original comedy, Daddy's Home kills any potential it has, and you would be much better off avoiding it. Brad finally gets the two children of his wife to look up to him as a father figure, but all his effort is thrown away when their dead beat father returns.
But it turns out that "Daddy's Home" is for the most part just a normal family friendly comedy. It lacks the edge and twisted humor you'll normally find in Will Ferrel movies. Since this is a spoiler free review I'm not going to say too much about the plot. Will Ferrel plays the role of "Brad", who is working his ass off trying to be the new dad for the two children in his new family. But suddenly one day their real dad, played by Wahlberg, shows up with a plan to win his family back.
From there on out everything is pretty predictable. In fact, if you replaced Will Ferrel with Adam Sandler you might think to yourself "have I seen this before? If you just want to relax with a typical family comedy, it's pretty good. You just might want to have your youngest kids sit this one out. This is actually pretty funny. It's not the most sophisticated comedy, but you should know that even before watching this.
Mark Wahlberg showing off his perks I mean comedic talents again. Also his muscles yes for those who care. There are quite a few jokes that go below the belt even literally , but it's all kept pretty light, if you don't mind that direction in general. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg have lots of fun, playing off each other and being "enemies". The ending kind of could be seen as a "things to come" kind of thing, which might ring true, with Part 2 already announced though the movie as I know did not make that much business in Germany at least.
Way better than I expected! Gordon 8 January This film tells the story of a sensitive stepfather who is disliked by his two stepchildren, despite trying super hard to win the kids' hearts. One day, the biological father shows up at the doorstep, and a big oneupmanship ensues. Their competition is full on, the jokes are very funny but does not feel silly at all. The best thing is that Mark Wahlberg's character is super attractive and charming in almost every way. He says the right thing all the time, he can criticise and manipulate the other father unreasonably and yet you would find yourself agreeing with his half twisted logic.
As soon as daddy's home, get him to leave daddy's home and take him to see "Daddy's Home". F errell went further. A creepy Thomas Haden Church he plays a radio station owner giving insensible advice is not amusing. Families come in different shapes, sizes, and forms these days, but you can make it work. Enter Brad, a sensitive man who can't have children, but who has a tremendous paternal instinct.
BatmanFunReviews 12 April Unfunny, forced and wrong in pretty much every place Daddy's Home is another stupid film starring god-awful actor Will Ferrell. I like Mark Wahlberg but my god he goes from good movies like Lone Survivor to this crap. This movie also takes logic out like that scene with the bike or the scenes with the Skateboard. The best scene from the movie was the ending where John Cena appears and Triple H Metallica song starts playing other than that the movie sucks.
Go see a better comedy not this one. Michael Bay's Transformers 4 had better acting and scenes than this film has in 1 hour. John Cena the only good part of the movie. There's no doubt the two have chemistry. What there is doubt about is how to perfectly utilise each of the two as characters.
The problem is that for Wahlberg's confident, in-charge character which he has to play to work Ferrell needs to play the straight guy and that isn't when he's at his best. He does it well there's no doubt about it, but he's at his best when his character has an edge to him like 'Ron Burgundy' or his character in 'Step Brothers'.
Playing the overly straight guy just seems almost a waste for the one Ferrell movie we get a year, even though no one could deny he still does it very well. The difference in quality between this and 'Get Hard' is noticeable. There, Kevin Hart was unable to find a chemistry with Ferrell and it just turned into the two competing with each other trying to make the movie their own.
Here that's not the case. Wahlberg seems happy to let Ferrell take the reins and is comfortable just doing what he does best, with his laid back, dry sense of humour accompanying Ferrell perfectly. There are consistent laughs throughout, but perhaps not one stand out scene that will be memorable for years to come.
It doesn't push the envelope as much as other Ferrell movies have in the past either. I really would love to see him always be given free rein to say and do as he pleases but also understand why that can't always be the case. If you're just looking to get your annual fix of a bit of Ferrell hilarity then you won't be disappointed.
If you are looking for a game-changer, perhaps wait for the next one. Nothing more, nothing less. Five is more than generous for this movie. It sucks seeing Will Ferell also, making these lousy movies all the time. Get someone to write a decent script and some nice jokes, for God's sake! The part where the motorcycle gets in the house and exits from the window on the car, is not only unrealistic Dah! This is where I first thought that the movie is utter nonsense. Then, the skateboard incident came and I was like "the CGI dude should really pay them back if he wasn't just doing his practice, straight out of school or something!
The story is interesting and there have been some moments in the movie when it actually worked but there was no flow in there. The story was interrupted constantly by moments of stupid humour or poor choices in plot, not letting you get into it for more than five minutes. While it could have been a movie both serious but with some really nice laughs, it was not. Mark Walberg is not the star actor, but I mean, come on. Do you really need to be making these movies? Will Ferell is beyond saving I think. He has not done a decent movie for quite a while, sticking to similar concepts and almost always playing the same character that has stopped being funny on so many levels.
This is the level of comedy I expect when I watch a Will Ferrell movie - insanely witty, funny dialogue, with some of the only truly funny slapstick scenes around thrown in to boot. This movie has none of that. I laughed out loud once, and sniggered a few times. The script smacked of someone out of ideas, the acting came across as forced as a consequence, and the final result is a movie aimed at no more than a juvenile audience.
Numerous scenes had to be taken to ridiculous extremes because they simply weren't naturally comical. Whalberg puts in a great performance given what he had to work with, but this doesn't make the movie worth seeing. I saw Daddy's Home in a packed theater at an afternoon screening and I personally think this movie's very funny in a lot of places.
I found myself laughing out loud throughout the entire movie, and the rest of the audience agrees with me. There were times where the people in the theater were laughing so loudly and heartily that the next lines of dialogue were nearly inaudible! Everyone loved it so much, they clapped their hands at the end of the film, so critics, know what a great comedy is.
The characters Griff and the boss played by Thomas Haden Church were particularly hysterical. The movie also has a few heartwarming moments to add to a really funny script. The trailers and TV ads didn't show all of the belly laughs for a change!! Great soundtrack to add to that. Daddy's Home is a hilarious gem and it's definitely worth going to watch in the theater!!!! Don't believe the critics that gave this a negative review who just select little nitpicks and enlarge them to an extent so that they can get a paycheck- go watch this!!
How can a movie be so bad? This is not funny, not at all a comedy. All the so called funny scenes are in the trailer but they look better in the trailer that when they happen in the movie. The first 'funny' scene starts at 50 minutes into the film. Then you have to wait another 10 minutes for another so called joke. There are perhaps 4 jokes like this in the entire movie. The dialogue has no humor. We wait hoping the dialogue will get funny or the film pace is going to kick in gear, but nothing happens. Not a family film either because of the language.
There are both good and poor Ferrell films, but this picture is different. It feels lifeless, as opposed to what the trailer lets us believe. RogerCampbell 26 December The mix of polar opposites Will Ferrell and Mark Walhberg was almost perfect. Ferrell plays the wimpy, goody two-shoes husband who is desperately trying to keep his wife and step-kids together as a family. While the plot is somewhat predictable, the humor is fresh and so very enjoyable! If you're looking for an hour and a half of laughs, look no further and go see this enjoyable movie.
However, you might want to leave the younger kids at home for this one because of sexual innuendo and language. Fun and very funny movie. One of,if not the best comedy of the year based on the amount of laugh out loud moments. No filler, Very well paced and never a dull moment. Laughs were frequent and often throughout the entire running time. If you like the premise of the trailer and found it funny then the film totally delivers on it. The audience around me were laughing throughout too and it was a packed screening. I can't understand why the critics have given it such poor reviews, worse than the majority of the other comedies reviewed this year or before.
Maybe they want you to go and see that boring below average Star Wars movie that's dominating film news and screens at multiplexes right now. If you want to be entertained, have fun and leave the cinema totally satisfied then i would thoroughly recommend Daddy's Home over the blandbuster Star Wars The Force Awakens anyday. And its way more funnier and pacier than Get Hard. For an example of my taste: The stand out comedies of this year that i laughed a lot in were This movie is one of the worst movie i every watched, This movie is about a loving foster father who work hard to provide for his family, he gave them love, food and shelter.
Until one day the biological father Fun Dad came out of nowhere, he took everything from him, the children, the house and even his work. This show isn't really a comedy as i don't even find this movie with a pinch of funny. So glad i didn't pay to watch this show, this is more of a tragedy than a comedy.
The foster dad,i had never seen anyone so clueless, what's worst the end, the biological got another super hot wife. Moral of the story, don't bother about your children, let someone take care of it, than come back and take everything back, god isn't going to punish you.
Sorry i watched only 40 minutes of the movie and i forwarded to the end, the front is horrible the ending is terrible. Its like the movie is not even funny and they are trying to squeeze out the funny.
Everybody loves a good laugh, but what makes us burst out into shrieks of delight is purely in the eye of the beholder. Some people still find Adam Sandler funny and relevant while others find the rebooted canned laughter of early eighties slapstick comedy the right fit for their sense of humour. It is all about taste and what one actually finds amusing. I find Will Ferrell amusing and when he teams up with Marky Mark Wahlberg, then what you have are a couple of "goofs" that can actually make people laugh. They are opposite in every way and because of this extreme difference, their personalities just seem to gel.
Director, Sean Anders We're the Miller's has reunited Ferrell and Wahlberg for the first time since their maiden outing together in the goofed up comedy, 'The Other Guys'. Surprisingly, that film worked with a collection of the most bizarre casting coming together to produce a funny cinematic experience. Brian Burns screenplay is nothing spectacular but it doesn't have to be as Ferrell revels in the moment, delivering his trademark idiosyncratic 'fruitcake' performance.
The funny man is constantly on the receiving end of Wahlberg's macho act but it sets the tone for some memorable events. Ferrell's films are predictable but he does them so well that the fans keep coming back for more. Marky Mark is proving versatile and isn't afraid of fabricating his own style. He is comfortable in allowing Ferrell to take the lead and then with all the smoothness of a newborn babies bum, slides into his role, bouncing off the comedic turn of big Willy's antics.
As the title refers, 'Daddy's Home' is primarily about fatherhood. Ferrell is the Step-dad, Brad Whitaker, who has longed to be a dad but because of an unfortunate incident, can no longer father his own.
He gets his opportunity when he marries Sara Linda Cardellini , a sheer beauty who has two children from a previous relationship. Ferrell's dopey, almost juvenile approach to his two step-children fuels the laughs from the very beginning. He is a man that loves his role and even in the face of adversity he enthusiastically launches himself into the children's lives.
Brad's world is threatened when the irresponsible biological father makes a visit. Dusty Mayron Mark Wahlberg is everything Brad is not.
In a simple word, the man is cool. He is popular with everybody and can do pretty much anything. What follows is a riotous narrative of Step-dad versus dad as both Brad and Dusty go to great lengths to out do each other for the admiration of their children. There are some truly gut busting moments and throw in the dry humour of Thomas Haden Church as Leo Holt, adds flavour to an already delicious pie.
A real standout are the well timed comments of Hannibal Buress whose presence is hard to ignore. His character, Griff, is likable from the very first appearance. Griff's relationship with both Brad and Dusty are priceless and commands the audiences attention whenever he is on the screen. Director, Sean Anders has delivered a thoroughly amusing film that allows its cast especially Ferrell to do their stuff.
Relax and enjoy it. You will be rewarded. Will Ferrell's latest is a release that's less amusing than his boldest endeavors The Campaign comes to mind. Let's just call Daddy's Home Ferrell lite shall we. At 96 minutes, "Home" as a comedy is stupid funny without being hilarious. It's like a mild hack job from director Sean Anders. Sean's leads Willy Boy and Mark Wahlberg are perfectly cast with a few laughs seeping through. However, the screenplay by "Home's" three writers is just meh.
A creepy Thomas Haden Church he plays a radio station owner giving insensible advice is not amusing. A gag involving a dog who looks ragged while possessing silver-colored eyes is also not amusing. A scene where characters dance with each other instead of fight each other is kind of half-baked. And finally, what's with the adage of locales used in Daddy's Home. Twenty minutes in and I thought things took place in Los Angeles, California. Come to find out that New Orleans, LA was the primary setting.
I guess a car license plate and Pelicans basketball gave it away. Anyway, the three main characters in "Home" are in a sense, labeled. Their identities are sledgehammered towards the audience as if they were types. Brad Whitaker Ferrell is the dimwitted stepdad, a doofus lacking self-confidence and an easy target for ridicule. Dusty Mayron Wahlberg is the biological dad, a manipulative jerk who deals in childcare MIA he's also a slimy badass. Finally, Sara Whitaker played by Linda Cardellini is the spouse of Brad, a beautiful yet dull housewife who seems to be caught in the middle of it all.
Slapstick antics of the obligatory kind ensue with Brad Whitaker crashing a large motorcycle into his house, Whitaker punching Dusty without so much as a flinch, Whitaker getting drunk and hitting a cheerleader at a basketball game with a b ball , and finally, Whit getting electrocuted while trying to skateboard in a backyard half-pipe. I chuckled, I winced, I checked my phone, and I eventually left the theater. The whole time I thought, this flick got green-lighted because of actor notoriety. There's no other explanation. The story is as follows: Brad works as a radio executive and shares a beautiful house with his wife Sara plus her two kids Scarlett Estevez and Owen Vaccaro as Dylan and Megan Mayron.
He loves being a stepfather to them even though they haven't warmed up to Brad yet. Just as he is about to make a connection with said ankle-biters, in walks Dusty Mayron, their real father who's been away too long and is making up for lost time. Dusty I guess, works in black ops that's what a couple of other reviews said but I wasn't entirely sure. He drives an intimidating chopper, he can build an intimidating tree house, and he has the radio voice to make mad royalties.
Dusty's motivation is to get his kids back, remarry his ex-wife, and eventually give her another baby. He even persuades Brad and Sara to let him stay at their home for an extended period of time.