Daddy’s Home 2 is one of those Christmas movies that grows on you…like a fungus.
If Daddy’s Home flirted with the chaos of co-parenting, Daddy’s Home 2 dives headfirst into it—this time with a Christmas twist and an even more crowded family dynamic. Directed by Sean Anders, the 2017 sequel ups the ante with the arrival of the granddads, ensuring that the festive season is a powder keg of mismatched personalities and escalating antics.
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg reprise their roles as Brad and Dusty, the overly accommodating stepdad and alpha-male biological dad who, after resolving their differences in the first film, now operate as a “co-dad” team. Their tenuous harmony is put to the test with the arrival of their respective fathers: Brad’s sweetly clueless and overly affectionate Don (John Lithgow) and Dusty’s gruff, hyper-masculine Kurt (Mel Gibson). With the extended family gathered under one roof for Christmas, the stage is set for a barrage of misunderstandings, competitive one-upmanship, and slapstick chaos.
The film’s central appeal lies in its cast, and Lithgow and Gibson add a fresh dynamic that prevents the sequel from feeling like a retread. Lithgow is a delight, leaning into Don’s warm-hearted cluelessness with infectious enthusiasm, while Gibson’s Kurt is a walking time bomb of outdated machismo, stirring the pot at every turn, with both seizing their moments, when they come, to find some genuine pathos amidst the pratfalls. Their interactions mirror and amplify the friction between Brad and Dusty, creating a multigenerational comedic tug-of-war. John Cena’s cameo as Dusty’s wife’s ex-husband Roger, which delighted audiences in the first film, is also expanded here, injecting an added layer of absurdity to the family dynamic.
The broader family ensemble, including Linda Cardellini as Brad’s wife Sara and Alessandra Ambrosio as Dusty’s wife Karen, bring a balance to the chaotic energy of the film. Cardellini’s steadying presence often serves as the voice of reason, while Ambrosio adds a touch of sophistication and wit to the proceedings. Cardellini brings a steadying presence, often serving as the voice of reason, while Ambrosio adds a touch of sophistication and sly wit, especially as Sara succumbs to a touch of paranoia as she’s dragged into Brad and Dusty’s escalating squabbles. The children, meanwhile, more than hold their own in scenes of mischief and mayhem, providing some of the film’s most endearing and comedic moments.
The comedy ranges from laugh-out-loud to groan-inducing, with Anders leaning heavily into broad humour. Physical gags—like a disastrous attempt at chopping down a Christmas tree or a high-stakes snowball fight—dominate the film, alongside exaggerated misunderstandings and cringe-worthy parenting advice courtesy of Kurt. While some jokes land well, others feel overly contrived, testing the patience of anyone looking for subtler humour.
What Daddy’s Home 2 does well is embrace the holiday spirit. The film’s depiction of Christmas is unapologetically over-the-top, with twinkling lights, snow-dusted landscapes, and a hilariously dysfunctional attempt at a “perfect” Christmas card photo. Despite the mayhem, the film is ultimately about family and finding common ground—even if that ground is littered with emotional landmines and discarded wrapping paper.
The crowning moment, though, is the perfectly judged cinema-set finale. What begins as a jostling farce evolves into a genuinely heartwarming communal sing-along of archly problematic charity anthem “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, a surprisingly inspired choice that elevates the film’s comedic chaos into something genuinely festive – and, surprisingly, genuinely moving. It’s a rare moment where all the warring personalities unite, embodying the goodwill the season promises—however fleetingly.
Daddy’s Home 2 isn’t a perfect film by any stretch, but it earns its spot in a holiday rotation through sheer force of its festive charm and the comedic spark of its ensemble cast. Lithgow, Gibson, and Cena inject new life into the franchise, while the picturesque Christmas setting provides a larger-than-life backdrop for the madness. It’s a film best enjoyed with a box of chocolate and a cup of egg nog (or something stronger if you prefer) and a willingness to embrace the silly side of the season.
