“The War with Grandpa” is laugh-out loud funny.

It’s been quite awhile that a movie not only made me chuckle, chortle and guffaw, but have one laugh on top of another.

During “The War with Grandpa,” I laughed so loud I almost laughed my face mask off.

It’s good that I was socially distanced from Michael “Movie Maven” Gontkosky, who was in his own laugh bubble a few seats to my right in the same row at the AMC Center Valley 16, Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, Upper Saucon Township.

“The War with Grandpa” could be interpreted as a coronavirus (COVID-19) lock-down comedy.

Call it quarantine comedy.

The plot has do to with Grandpa Ed (Robert De Niro) being sent to his room. The only problem is that the room is already occupied by his grandson, Peter (Oakes Fegley, of Allentown). The boy is sent to a makeshift bedroom in the attic.

Grandpa has moved into the household of his son-in-law (Rob Riggle), which includes two grand-daughters (Laura Marano, Poppy Gagnon), because his daughter (Uma Thurman) is concerned about his financial, social, mental and physical well-being.

Grandpa checked out at the self-checkout at the supermarket and was charged with theft. He got confused.

Grandpa is still grieving his deceased wife. The widower is not only gretzy. He’s downright mean when his grandson declares “war” on him in an attempt to get back his bedroom.

Grandpa gets pranked. One after another indignity to his dignity is played out.

Even so, Grandpa gives as good as he gets.

The resultant hijinks and booby traps play out like an episode of TV’s “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (1989-present), TV’s “Punk’d (2003-2015) and Johnny Knoxville’s TV show, “Jackass” (2000-2002).

Fortunately, “The War with Grandpa” rises above the mere hilarity of these admittedly TV guilty pleasures, mostly because of the performances of De Niro and Fegley. You’ve heard of Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, and Hope and Crosby? Add to these, De Niro and Oakes as a comedic movie duo.

De Niro’s slow-burn, flabbergasted, twinkly eyes, rueful reactions are priceless. De Niro, an eight-time Oscar nominee and two-time Oscar recipient (supporting actor, “The Godfather, Part II,” 1974; actor, “Raging Bull,” 1980), has a gift for comedy, evidenced in “Meet the Parents” (2000) and its sequels.

Fegley (“The Goldfinch,” 2019; “Wonderstruck,” 2017; “Pete’s Dragon,” 2016; “This is Where I Leave You,” 2014) is wonderful opposite De Niro. Fegley has a natural and easy style of acting. His innocent face masks a mischievousness. Without giving too much away, grandpa and grandson finally bond during a fishing trip.

As directed by Tim Hill (director, “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run,” 2020; “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” 2007; “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,” 2006; “Muppets from Space,” 1999) from a screenplay by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember, (co-screenplay writers, “Home,” 2013; “Failure to Launch,” 2006), based on the novel of the same title by Robert Kimmel Smith, the movie is what you might call an inoffensive family comedy.

There’s a subplot akin to the fun of “Grumpy Old Men” (1993), the elderly buddy comedy that starred Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, with a great supporting cast of Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Ossie Davis, Buck Henry and directed by Donald Petrie.

Here, the subplot involves grandpa’s buddies, played by Christopher Walken and Cheech Marin. Walken is a master of the one-liner with his clipped, accent on the wrong syllable Astoria, Queens, N.Y., drawl. Marin brings his stoner-comedy, anything-for-a-laugh sensibility to the game (especially the dodge ball scene).

The style of humor in “The War with Grandpa” is not vicious, even though it pokes fun at the elderly, teens and other ageist stereotypes. The movie recalls the goofy family comedies of Chevy Chase (“National Lampoon’s Vacation,” 1983, and its sequels) and is a throwback to Walt Disney Motion Pictures comedies of the 1960s (“That Darn Cat,” 1965; “The Parent Trap,” 1961).

“The War with Grandpa” is a movie comedy that can be enjoyed by young and old alike.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

Stay to the closing credits of “The War with Grandpa” for blooper-reel inset outtakes of Robert De Niro, Oakes Fegley, Uma Thurman, Christopher Walken, Cheech Marin, Jane Seymour and the cast. Lara Marano sings a song she wrote, “Point of War,” during the closing credits. The movie was filmed in May and June 2017 in Atlanta, Ga.

Lehigh Valley’s Barrymores:

Oakes Fegley is the second of three children, each of whom is an actor, of actor Michael Fegley and actress Merce Fegley. Older sister is actress-singer August Fegley. Younger brother is actor Winslow Fegley.

Studio delay:

“The War with Grandpa” is said to have been completed three years ago. It was unreleased, in part because its distributor, The Weinstein Company, went out of business amidst the sentencing of founder, Harvey of Weinstein, to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault in a case that ignited the MeToo movement.

“The War with Grandpa,”

MPAA rated PG (Parental Guidance Suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents urged to give “parental guidance.” May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.) for rude humor, language, and some thematic elements; Run Time: 1 hr., 34 min.; Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family; Distributed by 101 Studios.

Movie Box Office,

Oct. 16-18: Liam Neeson’s “Honest Thief” opened at No. 1 with $3.7 million, and $4.2 million, including Canada, on 2,425 screens, dropping “The War with Grandpa,” starring Robert De Niro and Allentown’s Oakes Fegley, to No. 2 with $2.5 million, on, llion, two weeks. 3. “Tenet” dropped one place, $1.6 million, on 2,001 screens, $50 million, seven weeks. 4. “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” $1.3 million, on 2,194 screens, re-release, one week. 5. “Hocus Pocus” dropped two places, $756,000, on 1,640 screens, $3.8 million, two weeks, re-release. 6. “2 Hearts,” $565,000, on 1,683 screens, opening. 7. “The New Mutants” dropped three places, $465,000, on 1,293 screens, $22.7 million, eight weeks. 8. “Unhinged” dropped three places, $425,000, on 1,276 screens, $20 million, 10 weeks. 9. “Love and Monsters,” $255,000, on 387 screens, opening. 10. “The Kid Detective,” $135,000, on 865 screens, opening.

Box office statistics are from Box Office Mojo.

Unreel,

Oct. 23:

“The Empty Man,”

R: David Prior directs James Badge Dale, Stephen Root, Joel Courtney and Marin Ireland in the Horror Mystery Thriller. A former policeman uncovers a sect attempting to contact a supernatural entity.

“After We Collided,”

R: Roger Kumble directs Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Louise Lombard and Dylan Sprouse in the Romance Drama. The film, based on the 2014 romance novel of the same title, is about two young adults in love.

“Synchronic,”

R: Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead direct Jamie Dornan, Anthony Mackie, Katie Aselton and Ally Ioannides in the Horror Science-Fiction film. Two New Orleans paramedics encounter horrific deaths linked to a designer drug with otherworldly effects.

Movie opening dates are from Internet Movie Database.