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Welcome to Movies & Film
Movie Reviews, & Film Industry Commentary
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2006 – PG-13 – 119 min.
Director: Frank Coraci
Primary Cast: Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsdale, Christopher Walken, Henry Winkler, David Hasselhoff, Julie Kavner, Sean Astin, Rachel Dratch
Stars *** (of 5)
Popcorn *** 1/2 (of 5)
Film Type(s): Comedy, Fantasy, Be Careful What You Wish For
Synopsis: Architect Micheal Newman (Sandler) is struggling to spend time with his family, but he keeps getting caught up at work. After a Fourth of July picnic goes awry and his frustration comes to a head, Michael goes for a drive and goes to the only place that is open, Bed Bath and Beyond. The only thing is that when he goes to the Beyond section Michael meets inventor Morty (Walken) who takes him to the Way Beyond section and gives Universal Remote. The thing is that this Universal Remote controls Michael’s universe, allowing him to fast forward, rewind, pause, and change the settings on his universe letting him remember things he didn’t recall saying, skip fights with his wife, and even his cold. The problem comes when he decides to skip ahead to his promotion and realizes that he isn’t programing the remote, it’s programming his life, skipping days, months, and even years at a time.
Review: An older but still childish Adam Sandler gets a universal remote for his life in this poignant family comedy. Though it is not a new It’s a Wonderful Life as it tries to be, but the script from the writer’s of Bruce Almighty is excellent. It is predictable, but well executed, and as opposed to his previous silly roles, Sandler gives a genuine performance proving to be a flawed Jimmy Stewart. One of the things that help this film work is the believable aging and morphing of its’ characters thanks to the effects of Film Makeup legend Rick Baker, who did similar work on Coming to America and The Nutty Professor. Another thing that helps, as mentioned before, is the script, which keeps the bathroom humor to a minumum and does incidental things well, such as the use of “Linger” by the Cranberries, which seems inocuous at first, but creates a bond for the characters in the last act. The film also becomes fun because of the supporting cast, with Beckinsdale playing it straight as the wife, Walken being his wacky self as inventor / angel, an over the top and hammy Hasselhoff as the boss, and many others. (Take note: The score starts to have a 1950’s Science Fiction element around Walken and that ‘Morty’ = Morte as in death). Cameo’s include Rob Schneider as a horny Arabian Prince, James Earl Jones in a very funny send up of his voice over work, Director Coraci as an idiotic nurse, and the daughter of Sandler’s Anger Management Co-Star Jack Nicholson as Newman’s daughter at sixteen. One of those rare high concept films that work.
Awards Likely: Oscar Nomination for Makeup.
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