As Adam Sandler moves into his forties, it's becoming just a bit more difficult for him to continue playing the man-child characters that aided him in his rise to fame from Saturday Night Live through his film output in the 1990s. It appears that the days of Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, and The Water Boy are behind him. Since the year 2000 Sandler is still a comedy mainstay, but there are more attempts to broaden his comic appeal. This expansion can be seen in films like Punch Drunk Love, Spanglish, and Click. His latest film seems to combine the two stages of his career, the early man-child roles and his current attempts at branching out. The result is a mixed bag at best, but hardly a failure and will provide fine entertainment for younger audience members while the adults can pick out elements of the Sandler they knew from back in the day.
In 1995 Sandler made his solo debut as a leading man. The movie was Billy Madison and almost single-handedly heralded the arrival of Sandler as a box office draw. Since then, Sandler has continually proven to be a hit on the big screen, and that does not appear to be changing now. However, his latest film is decidedly more family friendly, which is not altogether a bad thing.
I must admit that I initially had not planned on seeing Bedtime Stories, but the time availed itself and I decided to change my plans and was able to squeeze in a screening. I am glad I did. It surely does not challenge the top films in his catalog, but it will put a smile on your face.
Bedtime Stories tells a simple tale of believing in yourself and others, and it is not hard to guess what direction the tale will take. It seeks to tell that there are happy endings, although they are not always a foregone conclusion as so many fairy tales would have you believe. The movie is interesting beyond that in that it seems to be folding back on his earlier career; specifically, it brings to mind strong memories of the previously mentioned Billy Madison.
In the earlier film Sandler plays the titular character, the underachieving, lazy, do-nothing son of a hotel tycoon. His father wants him to take over the company, but Billy never got a proper education, shows no drive, and is not suited to the task. In order to step into the shoes his father wants him to fill, he must go back to school and pass all of the grades through high school during a single school year. If that is not enough, he also has to face off with the evil butt-kisser who will get the position should he fail, Eric Gordon (played by Bradley Whitford). Add a couple of children and a more fantasy-sided slant and you turn Billy Madison into Bedtime Stories.
In Bedtime Stories, Sandler plays Skeeter, the son of a man (Jonathan Pryce) who ran a modest hotel in Las Vegas. They live in the hotel, along with Skeeter's older sister, Wendy (Courteney Cox). Unfortunately, he was more of a dreamer than he was a businessman, and rather than go under, he sells the hotel to the wealthy Barry Nottingham (Richard Griffiths), with the promise that one day Skeeter would run the hotel.
Article comments
1 - patabig
i have to say this movies was pretty funny for a kids movie. its exciting,funny,artistic,entertaining enough for to watch it again. Madison production has always been one of my favorite. Adam Sandler funny guy