maria mcateer

Perhaps my expectations were set too high by the brilliance of the 1st movie. As a stand-alone, this is an enjoyable and witty film. But compared to the original, it falls flat. The first film is genius. It’s touching, clever, hilarious at times, and genuinely profound. The sequel does some of what I expected it to do, but misses many opportunities. The storyline wasn’t nearly as complex, and it takes place within only one day at hockey camp. In fact, the whole thing was pretty much about hockey. I expected more of a well rounded approach to the complexities of puberty, rather than a single instance of wanting to succeed and fit in. There were some genuinely funny moments, but some of the gags felt repetitive. The new emotions were entertaining, and I enjoyed the portrayal of anxiety. But overall, it wasn’t what I hoped it would be.