Grown Ups

Adam Sandler’s Funny People saw the actor in semi-serious, yet still funny mode, and his teaming with Judd Apatow marked one of his best film efforts. Of course, not enough people went to see it, so it’s time for Adam to get juvenile again with his go-to slob comedy director, Dennis Dugan (Don’t Mess with the Zohan, Happy Gilmore). Sandler’s Hollywood buddies (Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider) join him in this lame tale of childhood friends who reunite when their basketball coach croaks. They attend the funeral, and then take up temporary residence in a lake house where they argue with spouses and children, skip rocks and listen to grandma fart. The film has painfully few funny moments and is thrown together in sloppy fashion. Sandler has been, and will be, better than this, and I wish he’d choose a director other than Dugan for the silly stuff. No such luck: His future slate includes two films with the guy.