Director: Adam Shankman (Hairspray, A Walk to Remember)Cast: Adam Sandler (Click, 50 First Dates), Keri Russell (Felicity, Waitress), Guy Pearce (Momento), Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Richard Griffiths (Harry Potter), Courteney Cox (Friends), Jonathan Morgan Heit, Laura Ann Kesling
The Deal: Skeeter's (Sandler) and Wendy's (Cox) dad had to sell the family motel to Barry Nottingham (Griffiths), but in doing so, Skeeter was promised to one day be named manager of the hotel. Years later, Skeeter is working maintenance at the hotel, waiting for his chance, and it finally comes, but he must compete with Nottingham's future son-in-law Kendall (Pearce) for the position. When he agrees to babysit his sister's children, Skeeter discovers that the bedtime stories he tells them come true, and he then tries to manipulate the stories to get him the job, and the girl. Things don't quite work out the way he wants, as he realizes he has no control over the stories, but the children do.
Thoughts: The story itself wasn't anything impressive, but it was fun and enjoyable. I could have done without the CGI guinea pig, Bugsy, which was quite bad and more distracting than anything else. I'm sure it was meant for the kids to laugh at, but parents will be turned off by it. The manipulating of the stories and the real-life outcomes that ensue are a little ridiculous, but fun and worth a few good laughs.
The performances are about what you'd expect for a film like this, passable but nothing with lasting appeal. Sandler is his typical self, Pearce is the typical jerky bad guy, Russell the unknowing damsel in distress, and Cox is the overprotective mother. Brands stood out among the cast, bringing his typical style of humor that will get the adults to laugh, but it's tame and in no way inappropriate for the film. Heit and Kesling are good as the children, but as is the case with most child actors, nothing special can be expected.
What I liked most about the film is that it doesn't take itself seriously. It's meant to be fun and silly, and the actors all knew that. You could tell they were all just having a fun time making a silly movie for families to sit down and watch together. I also like that Keri Russell has seemingly resurrected her career. The last couple of years she's gone from forgotten to relevant, with roles in Waitress, August Rush, and a small bit on Scrubs. She's been around for a while, but she feels fresh and brings a nice presence to the screen.
Verdict: Though the humor is very silly, and the story isn't anything spectacular, it's a fun film. A solid choice for a family movie night. ☆☆☆1/2
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