Ask yourself a question: "Did I laugh during this movie, even once?" For me, unfortunately, the answer was no. I was stationed in Goodfellow AFB just outside of San Angelo, Texas, when this movie came out, and I vaguely remember rushing, and I mean RUSHING to see this movie with friends. I can't remember who those friends were, although I have my suspicions. If you're reading this and thinking, "wasn't this dude in the Navy?" you would be correct. Outside of boot camp, I didn't set foot on a Navy base, but spent a large amount of time trying (ineffectually) to treat buildings like they were ships. If you're confused, join the club. It's not like people on a ship wouldn't know what I was talking about if I said "wall," and I suspect that verbal-psychosocial interrupt is one of the bigger reasons why I didn't survive for a second tour in the Navy.
But, I'm digressing, as usual. When I go to an Adam Sandler movie, I expect to laugh. I don't expect much else. When I see Adam Sandler, and I don't expect to laugh, I generally wait for someone to give me better intel or I wait for DVD. The joy of Netflix at my volume and rotation is I can add all the bad movies I want and it doesn't add to my costs. I went to Mr. Deeds to laugh, and I can see where they tried real hard to make me laugh, but it really just didn't work. I'm wondering if this was where I started to feel my general relationship malaise with Adam Sandler. I loved him in the 90s, but in the wake of (I think) Little Nicky, I was kind of thinking homicidal thoughts in his general direction.
Adam Sandler, the king of funny if you're under the age of 40 and well, probably white, didn't live up to my expectations. AGAIN. The stuff he used to do that was funny, and still is when you go back to a time when he isn't graying and balding, just isn't funny now. I've seen him be outstanding in serious roles, even in bad movies. Funny People is the obvious example of that combination, but he was also good in Reign On Me, which I thought was very good. I'm thinking he should make the leap from extended adolescence into full-on grown up. Any day now would be good.
There wasn't much about this I found interesting. Living in a small town, I found their portrayal of a single watering hole ridiculous, although I guess it's possible that there's a smaller town than mine where such institutions exist... but I find the concept hard to fathom. I hated the relationship between Winona Ryder and Sandler, although since I'm not exactly in a love affair with Ms. Ryder, my response could be from less than objective inputs. I'm also wondering why a remake of a classic (and semi-serious) film would be cast with Sandler. Did someone in some casting office spin a wheel? Wheel of Casting turn turn turn, tell us how much money he should earn....
I vote skipping this movie in favor of better Sandler movies... which I guess would be just about any Sandler movie other than Little Nicky... or Punch Drunk Love.
