"Daddy's Home"

 2015 * PG-13 * 1h 36m

I love just about anything Will Farrell is in. So I really don't know why I never heard of this film before. What a hoot. It's one of those off-beat, well-written comedies that will have you chuckling out loud. And what a great cast! It also stars Linda Cardellini and Mark Wahlberg. 

Brad (Farrell) is married to Sara (Cardellini) and is the step dad to her two young kids. He's a gentle, happy-go-lucky sort who desperately wants them to accept him. Then the ex, Dusty (Wahlberg) arrives out of nowhere. He's an ego-tripping, pompous ass--probably close to Wahlberg in real life. He's simply the coolest dad on the planet. So the two of them try to outdo each other to win the kids' favor.

The competition starts out small, then spirals out of control. I had an absolute blast watching this movie. I noticed there's a "Daddy's Home Part 2" which I'm a bit skeptical about. It got pretty high ratings on IMDb, so I think I'll give it a shot. 

4 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming on Netflix and for free on Hoopla (with your library card. Also to rent on Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube, and other streaming services.