Meeting your SOs ex is never fun, but theres an added layer of awkwardness when they happen to be the parent to your partners offspring.
Such is the case for Brad (Ferrell) in the mildly raunchy comedy when his wife of eight months ex-husband learns of his replacement and rolls into town on his motorcycle with a take back my family attitude.
Instead of getting physical, Dusty (Whalberg) roughs up with the smooth jazz radio exec by showing off his skills on the backyard half-pipe and telling the kids bedtime fairytales in which the King takes back his kingdom.
Credit: Patti Peret
Ferrell never wavers as a Lands End-wearing softy, who joyfully packs lunches and takes selfies during his first father-son talk, convincing moviegoers he really does coach youth basketball, serve as nature troop leader, and read step-dad how-to books.
As the dad-off escalates, Dusty mentions Sarahs (Cardellini) desire for a third child, and playing the nice guy, the ambiguously employed bad boy brings the couple to his fertility doctor friend (Bobby Canavale), a Latino version of Dr. Oz who reveals Brads challenged sperm actually have a shot at impregnating Sarah.
After Christmas in April brings up the idea that Brad might be interested in having a baby for the wrong reasons, Sarah gives all the men the boot, but allows Dusty to take over daddy duties.
For every slapstick moment and poop joke, theres an equally emotional one, like when Brad watches from afar as Dusty and Sarah scroll through old slides with the kids.
But Dusty quickly bails after he learns just how many drop-offs and school bake sales Brad put up with during his reign as dad.
