Sometimes it can be hard for people to be easy going. Some people require lots of preparation to do a task such as time, physical readiness and mental justification. Others can just jump right in with no questions asked in order to do what someone needs. There’s usually no in between when it comes to this. Of course there are other factors like how devoted one is to the person making the request. If it’s some random person or if the ask seems highly unrealistic to accomplish, hesitation can set in for anyone. Faking one’s own story though is not that farfetched as it may seem. Many people have taken different identities and went completely under the radar. This is kind of what this Adam Sandler film is about except for sillier reasons.
Directed by Dennis Dugan, known for working with Adam Sandler in his other films. The story is a modernized remake of I.A.L. Diamond’s Cactus Flower (1969). The story follows Danny (Sandler), a successful plastic surgeon who was left at the alter at a young age when he was supposed to be married. In turn, he used his ring (the only memorabilia left) to get into the pants every chick he came across. That is until he happens to cross paths with Palmer (Brooklyn Decker) who he feels he has a connection with. However instead of using his ring to at the beginning, Palmer discovers it only after. This then has Danny make up a story that he’s divorcing his current wife so Palmer doesn’t leave him. With that he asks his assistant Katherine (Jennifer Aniston) to play that role.
The screenplay was adapted by Timothy Dowling and Allan Loeb, both of which surprisingly did not have a hand in any Adam Sandler films before it. Without prior viewing of the original film that this is a remake of and is likely better, as most are, the overall experience is a fair one. Going back to what was mentioned earlier, changing identities is very much a possibility but only some of it gets by super easy. Asking someone you work with to pose as someone else doesn’t seem that hard to do. However, when Katherine has to include her son Michael (Griffin Gluck) and daughter Maggie (Bailee Madison), that’s just pushing the believability. But that’s not even the end of it. On top of that, Danny’s cousin Eddie (Nick Swardson) shows up as well just because he wanted to see the girl of Danny’s dreams in real time.
This kind of stretching the truth is where it just gets ridiculous. How are people this gullible and believe such nonsense so easily? To the film’s credit, not all the comedy is average. The moments where it’s not good is Adam Sandler’s low brow kind of humor for various scenes but they aren’t over the top in this one either. The comedic elements that do work in this movie’s favor are the more wholesome related bits. Deep down, like the main character there is a wholesome core to the film and that’s the comedic element that is well received. Usually that kind of moment is when it comes to Danny working with Michael and Maggie. There’s also other actor appearances such as Nicole Kidman playing one Katherine’s high school rivals. There’s also Dave Matthews playing the husband to Kidman’s role and Kevin Nealon.
The acting in general is fine for the production. No actor sounds like they don’t know how to stay in character. The director of photography for this picture was Theo van de Sande. This is the same person who filmed for the forgettable Volcano (1997) but also the one and only Blade (1998). For what’s shown on the screen, the backgrounds look fine. Being that majority of this movie’s setting takes place in Hawaii, the shots are very scenic and capture lush shorelines. The music was a bit of disappointment though as it was composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams. Williams who also frequently works with Sandler would think an album could be produced but no such thing. Yet he went on to bring Wonder Woman (2017) a tune everyone would remember.
Comedy as usual for a Sandler film is hit and miss as does the music remain largely generic. The story while a bit unrealistic at points is not completely ludicrous either. There are moments of heart, the camerawork is good and the actors all perform fine.
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