Click

A workaholic architect is given a universal remote that allows him to fast-forward and rewind to different parts of his life. Difficulties happen when the remote starts to go against what he wants.

Sam Toy said in his review, “Steve Coren and Mark O’keefe, the writers who brought us Bruce Almighty (and its forthcoming sequel, Evan Almighty), are certainly mining the, “You think you can do better?” vein for every last nugget. This time around, God is left out of the equation, and their central themes are plundered from a much-loved film classic (we won’t tell you which one, lest we give too much away). But when the initial shock at their boldness wears off, the conceit works a charm.”

Adam Sandler, who for years had been turning down the rough edges of his angry-young-man SNL comedy façade and being more mainstream tragedy into his characters – with different degrees of success – seems to have finally made him into a comfortable and reasonably consistent protagonist. Fresh off of “50 First Dates” and the more subtle “Spanglish” (don’t know why people can’t include “The Longest Yard”), he’s grown out of the slacker roles and into everyman area, which works for him well here as “Click,” released in 2006, changes from a broad comedy into something else. Toy said, “The silly, shouty Sandler is reined in a little too tightly in the not-quite-funny-enough first half, but the reasons for that restraint become clear when the film takes an emotional turn for the dramatic later on.”

The now familiar actors of the Sandler supporting roles – Henry Winkler, Julie Kavner, Sean Astin, and a thankfully brief cameo from Rob Schneider – are joined by some well-cast new people: Jennifer Coolidge, David Hasselhoff, and Christopher Walken (being no more Walken then he always has been), all of whom go for broke with the small roles they are given. However, we have to mention Kate Beckinsale as Michael’s long-suffering wife. She does a terrific job of making a possibly general role sincere and lively – Toy mentions, “and, it has to be said, looks amazing in a Native-American headdress.”

Toy criticized, “The Wedding Singer and Waterboy director Frank Coraci makes a good fist of the demanding, overfilled script: too many plot threads (a glimpse of Michael’s future in which he and his son are overweight feels, inevitably, flabby) begin to stall the story at a point where it should be moving swiftly to its conclusion.” However, thankfully, when that finale arrives, it’s an emotional enough moment to justify the wait.

Another nice Sandler comedy that works, thanks to some smart and genuinely moving ideas at the front. Toy ended his review by saying, “Still, amiable as it is, it could have been more streamlined. Less patient viewers will be wishing they could reach for the remote by the third act.”

Overall, I found this to be another nice Sandler film. It started out very funny, but it did get very emotional by the third act. I still think people will like this, as I did when I watched this while exercising. When we had a DVR, I recorded this film and saw it because, I believe, I saw commercials and trailers for this, that I liked the film. Check it out if you’re a Sandler fan, especially with a funny cameo from Terry Crews.

Next week, I will be finishing “Happy Madison Month” with another Sandler classic.