The War With Grandpa

A rising tide lifts all boats, but a sinkhole won’t keep you afloat. Billed around Robert Kimmel Smith’s 1984 kid’s book, director Tim Hill (The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Muppets From Space, Alvin and the Chipmunks) uses this coming-of-age guffaw to expose generational gaffs. When his maternal grandfather moves into the family house, Peter (Oakes Fegley), a sixth grader, declares “WAR” to regain the lost territory of his bedroom which has been converted to Grandpa’s lair. In a “Tom and Jerry” tug-of-war, Ed (Robert De Niro) and Peter launch a series of dirty tricks intended to drive each other to the breaking point. Which is utterly pointless since neither of the participants have any say-so whatsoever about where they reside. This struggle is between two non-contributors fighting to get their way over space in another person’s house – and that someone is Anthony (Rob Riggle) and Sally (Uma Thurman), Peter’s parents who pay the property taxes, are responsible for the upkeep and repairs to the property that’s under attack! What are their rights? Dumbass movie about the greed of bums claiming something that’s not theirs to start with.

[PG]