Grown Ups

7.5/10

A scalding, hilarious play written by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Jules Feiffer, Grown Ups careens with a unique comic energy. It centers on a family dominated by the smothering, sanctimonious love of Helen, the mother of our middle-aged hero Jake. Played by All in the Family's Jean Stapleton, she is a masterpiece of malignant maternity while her husband, played by Martin Balsam, cushions himself with stiff drinks and asks everyone, "So what's new?" Charles Grodin plays the long-suffering son and Marilu Henner of Taxi is his uneasy wife. The combination of play and cast is irresistible. Spicy and sharp, Grown Ups is a comic feast.