Grown Ups 2 is the 2013 sequel to the 2010 comedy Grown Ups, featuring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and a bunch of SNL alumni essentially playing overgrown children. The "plot" (and I use that term generously) follows these middle-aged dads through the last day of school as they deal with bullies, throw a party, and engage in increasingly absurd antics.

The movie made $247 million at the box office, which tells you everything about how low the bar can be for summer comedy success. Critics were... not kind. It currently holds a 7% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is honestly impressive in its own terrible way.

Let's get specific about what you're actually dealing with here.

This is where Grown Ups 2 really earns its "maybe not for kids" status. The movie is packed with sexual innuendo, references to body parts, and jokes about sex that feel like they were written by teenagers who just discovered what innuendo means.

Specific examples:

The sexual content isn't explicit, but it's constant and pervasive. It's the kind of humor that treats women as objects and sex as the ultimate punchline.

The profanity is surprisingly restrained for a PG-13 comedy, but it's there:

No F-bombs, which is probably the only thing keeping this from an R rating.

Oh boy. This is the movie's bread and butter, and it's relentless:

If your kid thinks fart jokes are the height of comedy, they'll probably love this. If you're hoping to model any kind of mature humor, this ain't it.

Alcohol is treated as a solution to adult problems throughout the movie:

No drug use, but the alcohol normalization is pretty consistent.

The violence is mostly slapstick and cartoonish, but there's a troubling undercurrent:

The bullying aspect is particularly problematic because the movie never really addresses it meaningfully. The "solution" to being bullied is essentially to out-bully the bullies, which is not exactly the message most parents want to send.

Let's be real: kids are drawn to this movie for a few reasons:

The cast: Adam Sandler still has name recognition with kids, especially those who've seen his more family-friendly work like Hotel Transylvania.

The humor: Fart jokes, burping, and physical comedy are catnip for the 10-13 age range. This movie delivers that in spades.

Peer pressure: If their friends have seen it or if it's on at a sleepover, kids will want to be part of the conversation.

The PG-13 rating: Kids see PG-13 as a badge of honor, proof they're old enough for "grown-up" content. The rating makes it feel accessible and age-appropriate, even when the content pushes boundaries.

Here's my honest take on age ranges:

Under 10: Hard no. The sexual references will go over their heads, but the crude humor will become their entire personality for weeks. Plus, the casual objectification of women and normalization of bullying aren't great messages for this age group.

Ages 10-13: Probably still no for most families. Yes, they'll understand more of the jokes (unfortunately), but this is peak "absorb everything and repeat it" age. The humor is lowest-common-denominator stuff that doesn't model the kind of comedy or social behavior most parents want their tweens emulating. If you do allow it, watch together and be ready for conversations about why certain jokes aren't actually funny or appropriate.

Ages 14-16: This is where it becomes more defensible. Teens in this range can usually distinguish between "dumb movie humor" and real-world behavior. They're also more likely to recognize the movie for what it is: lazy comedy that relies on shock value rather than actual wit. That said, it's still not exactly enriching content.

Ages 17+: At this point, they're basically adults and can make their own terrible viewing choices. They've probably seen worse on TikTok anyway.

This movie is lazy: The biggest issue with Grown Ups 2 isn't that it's offensive (though it is), it's that it's aggressively lazy. The jokes are cheap, the plot is nonexistent, and the whole thing feels like a paid vacation for the cast rather than an actual movie. Your kids deserve better comedy.

The values are questionable: Beyond the crude humor, the movie promotes some pretty iffy messages:

It's not actually that funny: Even kids who love crude humor often find this movie boring. The jokes are repetitive, the pacing drags, and the whole thing feels like watching someone else's inside jokes for 101 minutes.

There are way better options: If your kid wants to watch a comedy with their friends, there are so many better choices that are actually funny AND appropriate. The Lego Movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Shazam!, or even the first Jumanji reboot all deliver laughs without making you feel like you need a shower afterward.

If your kid has already seen it or really wants to watch it, here are some conversation starters:

About the humor: "What did you think was actually funny versus just gross or shocking? What's the difference between comedy that's clever and comedy that's just trying to get a reaction?"

About the portrayal of women: "How were women treated in this movie? How did that make you feel? Why do you think the filmmakers made those choices?"

About the bullying: "How did the characters deal with being bullied? Is that how we handle conflicts in real life? What would be a better approach?"

About peer pressure: "If your friends want to watch something you're not comfortable with, how can you handle that situation?"

These conversations can turn a mediocre movie into a teaching moment about media literacy, respect, and critical thinking.

If you're looking for comedies that the whole family can enjoy (or that are actually appropriate for teens), try these instead:

For family viewing:

For teens who want PG-13 comedies:

Want more recommendations? Check out our guides on best comedies for tweens and family movies that don't suck.

Grown Ups 2 is rated PG-13, but it's really pushing the boundaries of what that rating should mean. The constant sexual innuendo, crude humor, and questionable values make it inappropriate for most kids under 14, regardless of what the rating says.

More importantly, it's just not a good movie. Your kids deserve comedy that's actually funny, not just shocking. They deserve stories that model good behavior, or at least acknowledge when behavior is problematic. And they definitely deserve better than watching middle-aged men act like they're in middle school.

My recommendation: Skip it for kids under 14. For older teens, it's your call, but prepare for some eye-rolling at how dated and unfunny it feels. And honestly? There are about a thousand better ways to spend 101 minutes with your family.

If your teen has already seen it and loved it, don't panic. Use it as an opportunity to talk about media literacy, comedy that punches down versus comedy that's actually clever, and how we treat people in real life versus how characters act in movies. Sometimes the worst movies make for the best conversations.

Want to explore more age-appropriate content for your family? Chat with our AI assistant about what works for your specific kids' ages and interests.