Film

Grown Ups

A comedy about five middle-aged men reuniting after their high school coach's death for a Fourth of July weekend. It's warm and loose, built on chemistry between its stars and the pleasure of watching comedians riff together. For people who like their humor broad and their friendships uncomplicated.

TMDb rating3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want a loose, lazy summer comedy where a group of old pals bicker, roughhouse and reminisce, and you're happy to let the jokes arrive in messy waves.

Skip it if you find Sandler's man-child shtick grating or want sharp, tight jokes, since this one is scattershot, sentimental and happy to repeat gags past their best.

What it asks of you: Expect a loose, ambling runtime of just over an hour and forty minutes, with long stretches of lazy holiday-weekend hanging about and little demand for close attention.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Old School2003

The same DNA of comedians playing versions of themselves in an ensemble, with Will Ferrell's anarchic energy balanced against character-driven humor. Genuinely funny and surprisingly heartfelt about friendship.

But It's cruder and wilder than Grown Ups—the tone is meaner, the parties messier. If you want something gentler, this escalates.

Old School poster

I Love You, Man2009

Paul Rudd and Jason Segel have the same easy rapport as the Grown Ups cast, playing friends navigating adulthood. It's funny without trying too hard, and genuinely sweet about male friendship and vulnerability.

But It's smaller and more intimate—a two-hander rather than an ensemble. The humor is quieter and more character-based than you might expect.

I Love You, Man poster

Wedding Crashers2005

Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are magnetic together, and the film nails that comedic shorthand of long-term friends finishing each other's thoughts. Charming, funny, and full of ensemble moments.

But It's considerably more plot-driven than Grown Ups. The romance subplot might feel like it gets in the way if you're after pure buddy comedy.

Wedding Crashers poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Grown Ups

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Toys That Made Us2017

Both are built entirely on the idea that returning to things from your childhood—a lake house, a toy line, your high school friends—is where you feel most yourself.

A documentary series about objects that defined childhoods—but more than nostalgia, it's about why we're drawn to things that make us feel safe and connected. You'll recognize the exact emotional note Grown Ups is hitting.

But It's documentary, not comedy. Some episodes feel thin, and the series can lean heavy-handed on sentiment.

The Toys That Made Us poster
More like this (7)

The Hangover2009

Four guys trying to solve a mystery while falling back into friendship patterns. Sharp ensemble comedy with a strong plot engine that keeps the character moments landing harder.

But It's darker and much crueler in tone. The humor punches harder and lands meaner than Grown Ups' gentler vibe.

The Hangover poster

Happy Gilmore1996

Adam Sandler at his most charismatic, with genuine warmth underneath the goofiness. It's silly without being mean-spirited, and the relationship stuff actually works.

But It's much broader and sillier—a sports comedy rather than a character piece. If you prefer subtlety, Sandler goes full cartoon here.

Happy Gilmore poster

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story2004

Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn sparring in a comedy that's confident enough to be genuinely silly. The ensemble cast keeps the energy high, and it's surprisingly well-constructed.

But It's angrier and more competitive in spirit. The humor is meaner than Grown Ups, and it has a sharper satirical edge.

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story poster

Due Date2010

Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis forced into proximity, building unexpected friendship through annoyance. Character-driven comedy with real stakes underlying the jokes.

But It's a road movie rather than a gathering—the dynamic is antagonistic tension rather than easy warmth. Much darker tone overall.

Due Date poster

Forgetting Sarah Marshall2008

Jason Segel and Paul Rudd again, but this time Judd Apatow's ensemble sensibility creates a genuine community. Funny, smart, and genuinely touching about moving forward.

But It's more emotionally complex than Grown Ups. The humor often comes from real pain rather than just hanging out and goofing around.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall poster

High Fidelity2000

Both are about men in their 30s or 40s circling around the question of whether they ever actually grew up, and both answer: not really, and maybe that's okay.

John Cusack and a small cast of musicians and misfits arguing about things that matter only to them, in a record store that's really about friendship. It's funny without trying, and genuinely moving about men avoiding growing up.

But It's slower and more melancholic. The humor is all talk and very indie—there's no physical comedy or big set pieces.

High Fidelity poster

Police Academy1984

Both believe that the real story isn't the external plot but the moment when a group of people stops trying to impress anyone else and just enjoys being together.

An ensemble where chemistry matters more than plot, and the movie is basically about misfits realizing they're only comfortable around each other. Goofy, loose, and genuinely kind to every character.

But It's from 1984 and looks it. The humor is very much of that era—broader slapstick, less edgy. It might feel dated fast.

Police Academy poster

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