Movie Review: The War With Grandpa (2020)

Genre: Family Comedy  

Director: Tim Hill  

Starring: Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Christopher Walken, Jane Seymour, Cheech Marin  

Running Time: 94 minutes  

Synopsis: Widowed grandpa Ed Marino (Robert De Niro) reluctantly relocates to the family home of his daughter Sally (Uma Thurman). He settles into the room previously occupied by his 11-year-old grandson Peter (Oakes Fegley), who is disappointed to be shunted into the attic. Egged on by his 6th grade classmates, Peter declares war on grandpa in order to reclaim ownership of his room, resulting in an escalating series of pranks.

What Works Well: The Robert Kimmel Smith book is adapted into a breezy screen comedy, with a steady stream of chuckles. Robert De Niro brings heart to the grandpa role, reluctantly but effectively engaging in the prank war while maintaining an anchor of love and trying to impart words of wisdom to his grandson. In the opposite corner, Oakes Fegley adds mischievous enthusiasm, while the efficient running time keeps the pacing brisk.

What Does Not Work As Well: Co-stars Uma Thurman and Christopher Walken generally embarrass themselves, while Cheech Marin and Jane Seymour are largely wasted. Some of the edgier practical jokes involve the threat of physical harm and reside uneasily within a narrative that is not supposed to involve villains. Some secondary characters (including Peter's classmates) fade away from relevance, and a Christmas theme is wedged into a July setting.

Key Quote:

Grandpa Ed: You're not putting me in a home!

Sally: What if it's our home?

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