Movie Review: Bedtime Stories - Page 2

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.

Years pass, and the adult Skeeter is employed by the hotel, but as the handyman. He has never had the opportunity to run the place. Times are changing and Nottingham is moving the hotel to a new, larger location and he needs someone to run it. That person is Kendall (Guy Pearce), the smarmy butt-kisser dating the boss's daughter. At the same time, Skeeter learns that his sister is leaving town for a week and he is to keep an eye on her two young children.

Initially Skeeter is apprehensive, but with some encouragement from unkempt waiter Mickey (Russell Brand) he gets into the swing of things. In particular, he seems rather adept at spinning bedtime tales. This is when things get strange. The kids add their own elements to the stories, after which Skeeter finds them becoming reality (like the gumball raindrops in the trailer). He tries to spin the stories in such a way that they impact his life, however he cannot predict how they will present themselves.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

Visit Chris Beaumont's author page — Chris Beaumont's Blog