It’s OK if you’re skeptical about the Will Ferrell vs. Mark Wahlberg vehicle “Daddy’s Home.” The trailers have showcased obvious, lowest common denominator humor that doesn’t look too promising. But the reality is that the film, directed by comedy vet Sean Anders, is much funnier than it appears –never doubt the powers of Will Ferrell.
Ferrell is at his best when he’s playing a buffoonish naif; the sweet-natured bull in the china shop who just can’t seem to get anything right (see: Christmas classic “Elf”). That’s exactly what “Daddy’s Home” delivers. He’s well-matched in Wahlberg, too, who is deceptively sharp as the badass biological dad Dusty.
The story is essentially a masculinity face-off between stepdad Brad (Ferrell) and dad Dusty (Wahlberg). When Dusty unexpectedly shows up on his doorstep, Brad wants to be the cool, enlightened stepparent that he is. But threatened by Dusty’s virility and the way in which he wins over the kids, Brad gets sucked into competing with the cool dad — clearly a fool’s errand for dorky Brad.
The men are also competing for the affection of Sara (Linda Cardellini), who honestly seems too good for either of them. It’s disappointing that the film reduces her to a baby crazy stereotype, simply standing by to scold or panic or gasp at the antics of Dusty and Brad. Yet she’s the one who finally manages to establish a detente in the Dad Wars, banishing the men from the house over which they battle.