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Moms part 2 not bad but not good

Ashwini SaseedaranSouth Western Times

THE Bad Moms film franchise is a good example for the phrase “when something is so bad, it’s good” with its ability to merrily draw squeals of laughter despite lacking tight plots or originality.

Last year’s Bad Moms was a surprising hit with its fresh outlook on three likeable mothers and their hilarious breaking free of maternal expectations, so the sequel Bad Moms 2 (A Bad Moms Christmas) had big shoes to fill by continuing to offer similar levels of outrageous comedy.

Having birthed a sequel with such a quick turnaround it was almost certain to be shelved as yet another disappointing comedy sequel like Hangover Part II and Bad Santa 2, but although it’s no holiday classic, directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore manage to decorate somewhat of a new tale.

The film’s success lies in taking the usual holiday stress and shaking it up with enough raunchy jokes and plenty of profanity to make mothers blush while its relatable characters induce giggles among mothers and daughters.

Amy (Mila Kunis), Kiki (Kristen Bell) and Carla’s (Kathryn Hahn) chemistry is uncanny and together with their mix of overprotective and careless mothering, it does crack smiles when mixed with holiday season madness. Inundated with buying presents, decorating their homes, baking, cooking and turning the dial up on Christmas, the trio’s stress hits another level when their eccentric mothers turn up to join the festivities.

Promising each other to do Christmas their way, the film follows the daughters’ battle against succumbing to their mothers’ almost impossible expectations.

The grandmothers steal the spotlight with their opposing personalities that carry much more on-screen weight and no doubt has women of all backgrounds nodding their heads in agreement of their sometimes ridiculous demands.

A family therapy session featuring Wanda Sykes is a hoot but adds nothing to the plot like most of the scenes, but it satisfies the viewers’ need for pointlessly hilarious comedic spiels regardless of a sloppy script and cliched storyline.

Bad Moms 2 may be wading through the snow on a no horse open sleigh but its festive hijinks are enough to make spirits bright.

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