When that first The War with Grandpa trailer landed, it appeared that Robert De Niro had made another paycheck movie. Then, upon further digging, I learned that the film was based on a beloved children’s book and upon seeing the Tim Hill directed film, this is not an excuse to raise some funds for his Tribeca Studios and its film fest. The all-star cast laden family comedy has heaps of heart, a solid message centered around the importance of family and it even produced a good number of LOLs.
The late Robert Kimmel Smith released the book in 1984 and it won a slew of awards, including the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award. It was an immediate hit and resonated with parents and kids alike with its messages of inclusion, the costs of (real) war, and self-esteem. After researching the book and Smith, it is hard to believe it took this long to take this story from the pages to the screen. Fate is a funny thing. The character of Grandpa (De Niro’s Ed) has the finest of needles to thread. It takes an actor able to impeccably deliver humility, gravitas, and sensitivity and there are few of a certain age who can achieve that rarity. Although The War with Grandpa could have been made at any time in the last four decades, the movie G-ds were working their magic waiting for the right performer to bring the titular character to life.
Peter (Oakes Fegley) is going through a seismic change in his life. He’s simultaneously starting middle school and losing his room to his grandfather. Ed’s daughter, Sally (Uma Thurman), has insisted that her father move in with her and her husband Arthur (Rob Riggle). Previously, Ed was living by himself after the loss of his wife and Sally’s mom. With Peter, a teenage daughter, Mia (Laura Marano), and a preschooler, Emma (T.J. McGibbon)… it’s a crowded house.
Grandpa moving in sends Peter to the attic, along with the mice and one spooky flying menace. With the urging of his friends, Peter declares war on grandpa. Ed’s served in a war and keenly knows the horrors of the battlefield. He does not take this declaration lightly and tries to convey that to his grandson. Still, Peter wants his room, and the battle commences. Victory for the young man comes in the form of grandpa moving to the attic and him reclaiming what was “rightfully his.”
Already, one can tell that there is going to be a lot of physical and slapstick humor in The War with Grandpa. Both Fegley and De Niro firmly handle that aspect of the filmmaking and that might be where a few of those LOL moments arise. Just as the viewer feels that that element is being pushed a little much, director Tim Hill and screenwriters Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember reign it in and either take the narrative someplace else or drop some emotive moments to achieve a nice balance. After all, one doesn’t want a kid to get too beat up (especially by his grandfather) or a senior citizen to suffer at the hands of his grandson. Smith’s book provided a solid blueprint for this aspect and filmmakers adequately handle that high-wire act that is balancing physical humor with achieving an emotive tether with the audience.
Hill is no stranger to this milieu. After all, this is the guy who gave us Hop, Alvin and the Chipmunks and helmed the upcoming The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Making films for children that are not completely childish is no easy task. Hollywood history is littered with kiddie flicks that adults spend rolling their eyes during. It takes a special talent and producers (including chef Guy Fieri!) have chosen wisely.
De Niro’s Ed is enriched by the presence of similarly aged friends who help feed his feud and give him tips on how to best approach it. But most of all, his trio of confidants keeps him grounded. They are portrayed by the always awesome Christopher Walken (as Jerry), Cheech Marin (as Danny), and a potential love interest arrives with Jane Seymour’s Diane. The four of them are priceless together and enrich the 65-plus angle of The War with Grandpa. Walken dives in with both feet and relishes his push the envelope character. Jerry loves his one-wheeled hoverboard and never shies away from any kind of challenge. During the trampoline park dodgeball scene, keep your eyes on Walken… to say he was having a ball is a gross understatement!
Seymour’s Diane is not the most fully-formed character we’ve ever seen, but her role is important. She embodies the sentiment that Ed might be ready to move past grief and mourning and open himself to the potential of finding love once again. It’s great to see the veteran actress onscreen and who knew that her dodgeball abilities were as astute as her thespian talents?! Here’s hoping that casting directors across Hollywood experience The War with Grandpa and think of her for a myriad of roles.
Another element that makes the “battle” between these two not something that is gone to the well too many times is moments of truces where the loving relationship that exists between these two is allowed to bubble to the surface. There’s a great fishing scene with the two, for example. But there are also enormous set pieces where the costs of war are realized… such as Emma’s Christmas-themed birthday bash. The latter was supposed to be one of those cease-fire moments. One could see the trouble coming from a mile away in the birthday scene and it doesn’t make it any easier to witness.
The theme of family and the two-sided nature of the entity that is a physical home permeates throughout. Prior to his retirement, Ed made his living building houses all over this city. As such, he waxes poetic about the actual structure of an abode and the inner personal satisfaction that he possesses from years of work. The builder paints quite a picture to his grandson in terms of the number of children and grandchildren that have emerged from these structures and how he played a part in that being able to happen. That sentiment clearly strikes Peter right where it counts and as such, perhaps this battle can be resolved.
The War with Grandpa is truly an ensemble piece and each player has a role to play, right on down to the littlest actress, McGibbon. Riggle and Thurman, at first, seem like an odd choice as a happily married couple. But within the framework of this family in this situation, it surprisingly works. The Oscar-nominated actress and the comic actor form a tender and surprisingly terrific tandem. The legends who play Ed’s buddies have a blast and clearly relish the opportunity to be as silly as they can be, as this is a child-centric movie (that still plays well for the whole family).
De Niro and Fegley’s chemistry is the key to this entire endeavor. Their banter is both touching and territorial. This role and this story needed a thespian of the legend’s stature to be both “buffoon-y” and bodacious. The young actor had his own two-sided character coin to embody. In order for the humor and heart to work, Peter had to be both likable and litigious. With Smith’s book as the blueprint, Hill’s gifts as a family friendly moviemaker, and a cast game for threading a challenging needle, The War with Grandpa is a surprising battle worth your clan’s precious time.
Grade: B