In a year that’s seen a lot of movies postponed, it’s helped draw the movies that actually are coming out into sharper relief. So more of an open-minded approach has been given to films like Robert De Niro’s upcoming family comedy The War with Grandpa. Call us crazy, but any kids movie that contains scenes of The Irishman himself pelting kids with dodgeballs, stealing groceries and hanging out with Christopher Walken and Cheech Marin almost feels like it deserves an honest shake. Take a look at the trailer for yourself below:
The events that kick off The War with Grandpa see Robert De Niro’s Ed dealing with some difficulty in his life as a single senior, which leads to the grocery theft at the beginning of the film’s trailer. Ultimately, the solution to Ed’s new found life challenges is to invite him to live with his daughter (Uma Thurman), her husband (Rob Riggle) and their children. But when Ed is moved into the room of one of those kids (Oakes Fegley), the battlefield is set and war is declared. Cue the dodgeballs!
Based on the classic children’s novel by author Robert Kimmel Smith, The War with Grandpa looks pretty damned silly, but that’s what makes the movie actually look like it could be a fun time out with the kids. Strangely enough, Robert De Niro looks like he’s having fun in The War with Grandpa, and quite frankly, so do his co-stars. Given the source material, there’s a chance that De Niro and Oakes Fegley’s cinematic war for the ages could be something that kids and adults alike will enjoy.
That dodgeball scene in particular seems to inspire some wonderful feelings, and even better memories when you think about Robert De Niro’s past comedies. Think back to the halcyon year of 2000, when De Niro starred in the romantic comedy hit Meet The Parents. It was a concept that felt like it would have fallen flat on its face on paper, but with De Niro and Ben Stiller anchoring a solid supporting cast, that movie went on to become a mythic hit.
There’s still a chance that The War with Grandpa might turn out to be something on the level of quality similar to that of Dirty Grandpa. But in a world that has shown that you can’t judge the movie by its trailer, there’s just as much of a likelihood that this could be the next movie for families to enjoy together. The truth will soon reveal itself as The War with Grandpa is set to fire its first dodgeball in theaters on October 9th.
