Burgess Meredith’s final film, this is the sequel to Grumpy Old Men, basically taking the relationship between Max (Walter Matthau) and John (Jack Lemmon) to its logical friendly — for a time — level as their kids Melanie (Daryl Hannah) and Jacob (Kevin Pollak) prepare to get married and John and Ariel (Ann-Margret) enjoy their new wedded bliss. But of course, there must be a fight before its all over.
Director Howard Deutch worked with John Hughes often, directing The Great Outdoors, Pretty In Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful. He’d work with Lemon and Matthau again for The Odd Couple II yet had much more success with The Replacements, which if you had basic cable, chances are you’ve seen at least once.
Improbably, Matthau’s character somehow wins over a newcomer to town, Maria Ragetti, played by Sophia Loren.
There was nearly another sequel called Grumpiest Old Men, which would be set in Rome and feature Marcello Mastroianni as Maria’s former husband. Sadly, Mastroianni died and so did Lemon and Matthau’s other films, Out to Sea and the aforementioned Odd Couple sequel.