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Here’s
the 40 million dollar question: What’s so funny
about Adam Sandler?
When a comedian can open two ho-hum comedies to bigger
than the average blockbuster numbers, you know he has
tapped into something big.
Unfortunately, I seem to be out of the loop. I’ve
always though Sandler was a hilarious comedian. His CDs
are amazing and his sketches on SNL are classics. But his
movies… well, let’s take a look back.
(Bulletproof doesn’t count)
Billy Madison- Classic Sandler! Unbridled Immaturity.
Still, not much of a movie. The penguin bit will live in
my mind forever.
Happy Gilmore- A step down from Billy, still okay.
It’s missing the gags, but has more of a story. The
Bob Barker bit will live in my mind forever.
The Wedding Singer- In my opinion the highest quality
Adam Sandler movie. A great date movie with terrific
chemistry between Sandler and Barrymore. The Bar Mitzvah
bit will live in my mind forever.
The Waterboy- Unbelievably lame, surprisingly unfunny
movie with a few hilarious Sandler moments. A huge hit
that wasn’t nearly as funny as his other movies.
Kathy Bates’ performance will live in my mind
forever.
And now we have Big Daddy. Sandler is obviously trying to
recapture the charm that made The Wedding Singer a hit.
But there’s something about Big Daddy that is so
frustrating. Maybe it’s because now that
Sandler’s movies open to 40 million weekends they
have to be examined more critically. Big Daddy is filled
with cute moments but doesn’t add up. It’s
sentimental moments are obvious and many jokes are flat
and forced.
In my review of The
Wedding Singer I
mentioned the lame, obvious plot devices that would have
sunk the film if it didn’t have its fun 80’s
setting. Well, Big Daddy has a boring sitcom like setting
to compliment it’s lame plot devices. This
doesn’t help.
Sandler plays terminal slacker Sonny Koufax. When the
offspring of his roommate’s one night stand appears
at his apartment he takes the kid into his own custody.
He teaches the kid his own warped values, and predictably
falls in love with the tyke and learns responsibility.
It’s sappy stuff and would make a serviceable date
flick. But as a comedy it’s just not that funny.
There are moments, but no true guffaws. A lot of ahhhhs
(directed at the adorable twins playing 5 year old
Julian) and some chuckles (the best ones of which are in
the ad). Other annoying factors are the product
placements (Cheerios, McDonalds, Hooters) and the
imposing soundtrack tunes. I like Garbage’s When I
Grow Up, but it doesn’t fit at all in this movie.
The supporting cast is decent. Steve Buscimi is a riot as
a homeless guy and Julian is adorably played. Jon Stewart
and Joey Lauren Adams are big talents and are very
underused. Their character are completely underdeveloped.
A constant source of homophobic humor are Sonny’s
two gay law school friends. Rob Shneider plays an
annoying middle eastern delivery man, but is overused.
I was underwhelmed by Big Daddy. It’ll make a nice
date movie but nothing in it will live in my mind
forever.
It doesn’t deserve a 40 million opening.
5/10
Related 'Big
Daddy' Links:
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