Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) is a hotel handyman who SHOULD be running the hotel if the owner had kept a promise he made to his father, but isn’t. Instead his arch rival is offered the job. Stuck looking after his niece and nephew, Skeeter tells them a bedtime story like his dad used to tell him. The story contains allegories for people in the real world, and some stuff he wishes would happen. When the events of the story appear to come true, including a rain of gumdrops, Skeeter tries to steer his life using the magical power of the stories.
It’s actually better than it sounds, for the most part. Or not quite as good as it sounds depending on your point of view.
Adam Sandler is generally a bit hit or miss for me. When he tones it down he’s pretty damned good, when he plays full on spaz it’s awful. This is for the most part toned down. He’s the goofy uncle, so a bit of spazzy kind of fits. And the fantasy sequences have input from the kids so they would be a bit stupid.
The best move they made here, though that goes away towards the end, is keeping it ambiguous as to whether the stories actually ARE having some kind of magical influence on his life. The parallels, at least the most outlandish ones like the gumball rain, have quite practical reasons for existing in the real world. The gumballs are because of a truck spilling its load. And Skeeters reaction to it all is realistic too in a world where we’ve all watched a bunch of movies with stuff like this happening in them.
It TOTALLY loses it in the last 25 minutes unfortunately. Until then the story progression is well paced. There’s a fourth wall smashing moment and then a long “everything works out” sequence. Bit disappointing, but it will be perfectly fine for the target audience which is young to pre-teen kids.
They’ll no doubt love this and there’s enough to keep the parents happy too. Nothing is really hugely annoying, even Buggy the guinea pig who seemed like a bad idea but ends out kinda cute.
It’s far from an amazing family film, but it is a good one and worth a look if you have kids. Or a niece or nephew that you have to keep entertained for a bit.
Next up: My Best Friend’s Girl
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