Mel Gibson Steals Every Scene In A Wild Comedy Dominating Streaming
Mel Gibson joined the cast of Daddy's Home 2, a comedy now streaming on Paramount+.
Since his early days starring in blockbusters like the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon franchises, Mel Gibson’s name has been synonymous with high-octane action flicks. But, throughout the years, the Hollywood bigwig has dipped his toe into a variety of different genres, and now, according to FlixPatrol, Paramount+ subscribers can see the star in his funniest role yet in Daddy’s Home 2. A sequel to the 2015 feature, Daddy’s Home, director Sean Anders only continued to up the ante with this star-studded hit.
In a role that perfectly fit Mel Gibson, the Braveheart star appeared in Daddy’s Home 2 as the rough-and-tough father of Mark Wahlberg’s character, Dusty. The first movie saw Brad (Will Ferrell) and Dusty form an unlikely bond after their personalities clashed as the two men got to know one another. The step-dad to Dusty’s kids, Brad was a shy and soft-spoken man to Dusty’s rebel without a cause-like attitude, with the first film focusing on the growth of their relationship.
In Daddy’s Home 2, Brad and Dusty are now a tight-knit team but, when their own fathers come to visit for the holidays, they find themselves tossed back into the madness of forging connections.
Mel Gibson plays Kurt, Dusty’s father who’s just as much a rebel as his son, while John Lithgow plays Don, Brad’s mild-mannered father. It’s been smooth sailing for Dusty and Brad since they were able to see that they weren’t so different after all but with their dads thrown into the mix, the whole family is in for a shakeup.
Along with Mel Gibson, Mark Wahlberg, John Lithgow, and Will Ferrell, the movie also brings back Linda Cardellini as Dusty’s ex-wife and Brad’s current wife, Sara. Filling out the ensemble cast is John Cena, Bill Burr, Alessandra Ambrosio, Daniel Dimaggio, Scarlett Estevez, Chesley Sullenberger, Didi Costine, Owen Vaccaro, and Liam Neeson.
Upon its release, Sean Anders and the rest of the team behind the Daddy’s Home franchise must have immediately realized that they did something right as audiences flocked to their local cinemas to see the latest installment.
By the time it left theaters around the globe, Daddy’s Home 2 raked in an impressive $180.6 million against its $69 million production budget. Although the cast and promise of hilarious hijinks may have been enough to bring fans in for the sequel, the film wasn’t a hit with critics, with Mel Gibson even taking home the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor.
The arrival of Daddy’s Home 2 came at a pivotal time during Mel Gibson’s career as he was just returning to the favor of the public following a laundry list of offensive behavior that finally culminated in a “canceling” of sorts in 2010.
Although he had made disparaging remarks against the LGBTQ+ community in the early ‘90s, it was his anti-Semetic and racist behavior in the early 2000s that would see Gibson truly fall from grace. After a handful of shockingly offensive and aggressive remarks, all of which Gibson would blame on his struggle with alcoholism, the star was barred from Hollywood for a handful of years.
His big comeback happened through the 2016 war flick, Hacksaw Ridge. Though he didn’t star in the title, which would also serve as Andrew Garfield’s big break, Mel Gibson stood behind it as the director, a decision that would ultimately land him critical acclaim with the title nabbing six Academy Award nominations.
From there, it seemed as though Gibson was forgiven with those in the biz eager to once again work alongside the star.
Based on a true story, Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge told the tale of Pfc. Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield) who, because of his religion, turned down carrying weapons while serving during WWII. Although his comrades gave him gruff for not being willing to fire bullets at the enemy, Doss became a hero and the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor after saving 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa.
Following the success of Hacksaw Ridge, Mel Gibson’s career has only continued to be revitalized with Daddy’s Home 2 marking one of his major returns to the entertainment industry. Sure, some of us may still be torn on The Expendables 3 star’s past behavior and how that relates to his future in the film business but if you’re looking for a star-packed comedy, follow the folks of FlixPatrol to Paramount+ and give Daddy’s Home 2 a watch.
