I didn’t know anything about this title before seeing it, other than that Robert De Niro was the star. I have since learned that it has been on the shelf for three years, boasts more than thirty-five producers (including chef Guy Fieri!) spread among several companies and is based on a fairly famous book for kids. None of this should make any difference to a viewer, but it is interesting. The film itself is pretty decent, all things considered.

Tim Hill’s family film has an obvious setup: a middle class family takes in Grandpa (De Niro) over his objections and gives him the best room in the house, formerly belonging to son Peter (Oakes Fegley). Peter loves his grandfather but declares war on him, hoping to win back his room. They keep the “war” between themselves, but soon the pranks and pratfalls threaten or involve other members of the household, friends and even various authorities.

It’s a cute idea, and some of the gags are pretty funny. I really enjoyed the one involving shaving cream, as well as the dodgeball tournament between the kids and the elders (De Niro, Christopher Walken, Cheech Marin and Jane Seymour). All the sneaky stuff works pretty well. Less successful is the sentimental family stuff, involving Peter’s parents (Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle) and siblings (Laura Maramo, Poppy Gagnon). And while a few of the gags are slightly off-color, nothing is too raw for kids, and I didn’t notice any profanity at all.

The show is really Mr. De Niro, whose film choices over the last three decades have really been hit or miss. This one is solid, and it is a whole lot more wholesome and enjoyable than his role in Bad Grandpa (no relation whatsoever to The War with Grandpa). One can see that he enjoyed making the film, and particularly the pranking, which just makes it more enjoyable. This is one of those titles that I think is destined to become a family favorite over the years, like the Home Alone movies, with which this film shares some of the same sensibilities. ☆ ☆ 1/2. 10 November 2020.