It’s been close to ten years since Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg battled each other in the 2015 film Daddy’s Home. But if you’re one of millions of Netflix subscribers, you’ll be able to take a trip down memory lane with the iconic comedy duo. Both Daddy’s Home and Daddy’s Home 2 were added to the streaming platform this month, and both titles are featured on Netflix’s Top 10 list this week.
Even if you saw the films when they first released, and/or several times after the fact, this is an excellent opportunity to share some gut-busting cinema with friends, family, enemies, or anyone you believe would get a kick out of watching Will and Mark going toe to toe. It’s a perfect way to unwind this weekend, and bonus points if you decide to seek out director Sean Anders’ first comedy outing with Ferrell and Wahlberg, too: The Other Guys.
Daddy’s Home and Daddy’s Home 2 aren’t the type of films that will be spending any time in the Library of Congress’ cinematic archives, but this is the kind of family-friendly fare everyone gets to giggle at. After all, not everything has to be revered, award-winning gold.
Daddy’s Home grossed over $240 million at the box office
Released in theaters on Christmas Day 2015, Daddy’s Home stars Ferrell as milquetoast radio exec Brad Whitaker, a man who must compete for the affection of his wife and stepchildren when their tough-as-nails biological father, Dusty Mayron — played by Wahlberg — rolls into town. Let the slapstick hijinks ensue.
Other cast members include Linda Cardellini, Thomas Haden Church, Hannibal Buress, and Bobby Cannavale. The film was co-written and directed by Sean Anders, based on a story by Brian Burns.
Daddy’s Home wasn’t a critical darling by any means, but audiences really responded to the oddball dichotomy that Ferrell and Wahlberg brought to the table. Daddy’s Home is Will Ferrell’s highest-grossing live-action film to this day, surpassing Elf by $20 million or so.
This Paramount Pictures release actually went up against one of the biggest tentpoles imaginable: Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Of course, the latter cleaned house in terms of box office competition, but Daddy’s Home still pulled in a respectable $38.7 million in its opening weekend.
Daddy’s Home 2 added holiday charm to the successful formula
Hollywood can be quite the predictable animal, so it’s no surprise that a sequel to Daddy’s Home was quickly green-lit after the original did so well at the box office. Daddy’s Home 2 brings Ferrell, Wahlberg, and Cardellini back to the fold, alongside two new acting heavyweights: John Lithgow and Mel Gibson. The former plays Ferrell’s happy-go-lucky father, Don, while the latter plays Wahlberg’s father, Kurt, a round-around-the-edges fighter pilot. Co-writer/director Sean Anders returns to captain the sequel ship.
This time around, the A-list dads from the first film, now happily co-parenting, decide to throw a “together Christmas” for the kids. Enter Lithgow and Gibson, and throw in a healthy dose of Christmastime, and you’ve got yourself a bit of a rinse-repeat, but a worthy successor nonetheless.
Daddy’s Home 2 landed in theaters on November 10, 2017, making $29.7 million at the box office in its opening weekend, and went on to gross over $180 million worldwide. Critical reception was less kind than the first film, with many critics finding faults with the story and jokes. Still, others enjoyed the beefed-up cast and yuletide shenanigans.
