This movie is very sweet and cute. There are parts that are a little ridiculous, but then, so is life. I'm a movie buff from film noir to recent masterpieces, but sometimes you just need to watch something light and wholesome and you've found it here. It's a funny comment on new parenting styles and how grandparents struggle to cope and assimilate. Overall just a delightful way to spend a few hours. And as usual Midler and Tomei perfect!

I knew this film was most likely going to be very average or possibly terrible, I think I was mainly attracted by the cast, so I watched it anyway, directed by Andy Fickman (She's the Man, The Game Plan, Race to Witch Mountain). Basically minor-league Fresno Grizzlies sports commentator Artie Decker (Billy Crystal) is fired due to his old style commentary and lack of social media. Artie is accustomed to calling the shots, but his wife Diane (Bette Midler), who is eager-to-please, gets a call from their daughter Alice Simmons (Marisa Tomei) and, despite his insistence, agrees to babysit their grandchildren, Harper (Don't Be Afraid of the Dark's Bailee Madison), Turner (Heroes' Joshua Rush) and Barker (Kyle Harrison Breitkopf) in Atlanta. Alice and her husband Phillip 'Phil' (Tom Everett Scott) are going away for an entrepreneur exhibition, but problems arise as Artie's and Diane's collide with the alternative "helicopter parenting" of Alice and Phil's. Alice is especially panicky leaving the children behind, but eventually leaves Artie and Diane to it, who learn of the children's various problems, including Harper's high achievement syndrome, Turner's stutter and Barker's imaginary friend, but they try to make the kids their new best friends. Alice is given the assignment to redesign the website for the X Games, so eventually returns home, Artie uses this to his advantage to arrange an interview for the role of sports commentator, but Barker is with him and almost gets hurt by a skateboard ridden by Tony Hawk. Tension rises when Alice clashes with Diane who wants to allow Harper to attend a party the night before a recital, and Barker's imaginary friend, a kangaroo named Carl, is killed, so arguments occur. Eventually Alice reconciles with Artie and Diane, and Harper is allowed to withdraw from the recital, Turner takes her place and resolves his stutter reciting the 1951 baseball Shot Heard 'Round the World commentary, following this in the end Artie and Diane become a major part of their grandchildren's lives, and Artie, along with Turner, takes up a new job as commentator for a little league baseball team. Also starring Mulan's Gedde Watanabe as Mr. Cheng, House M.D.'s Jennifer Crystal Foley as Cassandra, Road Trip's Rhoda Griffis as Dr. Schveer and Steve Levy. Crystal does his wisecracking character well, Midler is somewhere between annoying and amusing being kooky, and Tomei gets her moments being the concerned and worn out parent. It is a predictable story with a strained relationship between the grandparents and their adult daughter, and lack of connection with the kids, babysitting the kids becomes chaotic, most of the laughs come from the sarcasm and banter between the kids and the grownups, it did make me laugh in the right places, so overall it's an alright comedy. Okay!

I read the "expert" reviews when the movie hit the theaters. Subsequently I did not see the movie at that time. It has appeared on cable numerous times, & I have seen the movie more than I can count. I find something else to like about it each time I watch. It is a family focused movie - heartwarming & funny and at times, hysterical.When grandparents Artie (Billy Crystal) and Diane (Bette Midler) are asked by their somewhat distant (emotionally and geographically) daughter Alice (Marisa Tomei) and son-in-law Phil (Tom Everett Scott) to care for their three children while the parents attend a work conference/mini-vacation, Bette is thrilled to try to connect with the family (especially the grand-kids). Artie has just been fired as the long-time announcer for the Fresno Grizzlies for being "old-school", so he's going into the situation a bit wounded. The fact that the young family has a talking/interactive house and car (which Phil invented/developed) is baffling and Artie takes the mispronunciation of his name personally (& it's just funny). The hyper-type A parenting style of Alice and Phil (especially Alice) is well balanced by the easy-going style of Diane and Artie. Artie allows his self-centeredness to interfere on occasion – that's when the most trouble arises. Still, Artie and Diane are a strong team and that heart is shared with Alice, Phil & and kids. The three children are distinctly different from each other, but all affected by the type-A parenting of Alice and Phil. A strong sense of family and love is what binds them together – warts and all.I enjoy watching Billy Crystal movies, he does not disappoint in this movie as well. Bette Midler just glowed in this role – she held her own with Billy Crystal without dominating; Bette just made the scene better and believable. The movie has an all-around great cast; the acting is natural. LOVE the closing credits & final scene after the credits. This movie has become one of my recent favorites.

Oh those darn new fangled people with their new age parenting and their high tech computer machines. What we need is a good old fashioned comedy hack and a has been (who needs to sing in every movie) to show us the old ways. I'll bet that in the process we will learn some life lessons and solve everyone's problems, by the end those crazy old ways might not seem so crazy eh? I tried to change the channel when this came on. But it's like trying to ignore a rodeo entirely comprised of midgets and miniature horses. You want to stop and you feel guilty...but part of you wonders where they make the tiny leather chaps, and how Billy Crystal is allowed to breathe air and make movies after "Analyze That"That being said. Billy you are forgiven for two reasons. The first is a small part in one of the best movies ever made (it involves a princess, a giant named Andre, and a revenge obsessed spaniard who is not left handed). And the second is... well.....City Slickers. I know it's bad but god is it good.In summary, I have never left a movie review before in my life. But for some reason I felt the need to get this information out there. You may be one of the people who enjoy this movie and in that case please disregard this review. On the other hand you may be under the age of sixty, and have an iq higher than a bowl of soup. In that case... press play, take four valium, drink a bottle of gin, and take a bite of a big shotgun sandwich.