Just got back from seeing the new Adam Sandler comedy "Click", which tries real hard to become a summertime modern era version of "A Christmas Carol"...but falls a little short.
CLICK has been advertised relentlessly, so you probably know the main plot by now. Adam Sandler is a busy architect who is given the "gift" of a universal remote that controls not only his TV, but aspects of his life as well. He can mute a barking dog, fast forward through arguments, and pause time to smack around his boss. As he forwards through time, he starts to sense that he should have stopped and smelled a few roses along the way (although it's certainly not what he makes his boss smell). In the end Sandler realizes that time is the most precious "gift" of all (awww).
The performances are ok, with Christopher Walken standing out as a kooky inventor that puts the Beyond way at the end of Bed and Bath. Sandler hits the right notes as he goes through several "ghosts of Christmas future" scenarios, but overall he's still playing the passive/aggressive part he's usually cast for. Outside of looking good in a pair of short shorts, Kate Beckinsale isn't given a lot to do and sleepwalks through her role as the neglected wife. I didn't really buy her and Sandler as a romantic couple either. David Hasselhoff does what he can as Sandler's slightly clueless boss and Henry Winkler and Julie Kavner pull some heartstrings as Sandler's parents. My hat goes off to a pretty fearless performance by Sean Astin, whose puffy lifeguard got the biggest laugh in the theatre I watched this in.
As with most time-travel movies, it's best not to try and think too much. I caught myself doing it during the movie ("he knows he has a reverse button, right?") but decided to consciously turn it off. Trust me, you'll enjoy the movie a lot more if you leave that part of your brain in the car.
I enjoyed the sections where Sandler was able to use the 'menu' function to revisit certain times of his life, which included commentary track narration by James Earl Jones. He gets to recount some good times (the first kiss with his wife), and some not so good times (best left to your imagination).
The main problem overall is with Sandler's character Michael. Is this really a guy we're supposed to feel sorry for? If you've seen the trailers, you've no doubt witnessed the scene in which his son is playing catch with the smartmouthed neighbor kid. While Sandler's sons thrown ball is in flight, Sandler pauses time and moves down the baseball mit of the neighbor kid. Once time is restored, the ball smacks the kid square in the face (ho ho ho). I mean, that's hilarious exposing a kid to potential blindness or brain damage, right? Didn't get one laugh in the theatre I was in. Don't get me wrong the kids a total jerk, but I kinda started feeling sorry for him later in the movie. It's a battle of wills between a ten year old and a forty year old, with the adult running over the kids toys and such (hee hee hee). That Sandler's character came across as such a sociopath most of the time shouldn't have been a surprise, because it's par for the course in most of his stuff.
Sure, I laughed every time the dog humped the stuffed animal and I got a little misty at some of the father/son scenes, but overall I can't recommend paying full price to see this one. It'll make for a good rental or cable view though.
NOTE: There is a potential drinking game to be had with this movie. Every time a product brand is shown or stated, do a shot. The showcasing of Twinkies alone ensures even the staunchest party animal will get a good buzz.
Read other critics reviews of CLICK at
Rottentomatoes
what movies do you like if you hate all of those?
x 10
Razor's Edge down?
, boys!
