Click (PG-13)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing Click
, a movie about a guy who shops at Bed, Bath & Beyond and picks something up in the Way Beyond section. He finds a universal remote that can actually control the universe.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: I liked it. What a surprise, it seems that now that its summer, I like everything.
Actually, I am an Adam Sandler (Michael Newman) fan and I thought this movie was fun and had some substance to it. It also has a lot of Adam Sandler style comedy thrown in too.
How about you?
Scott: I thought it could have been a lot better. The concept was a good one; I don't think they did a good job with it though.
Mike: Why do you say that?
Scott: I think the movie jumped around too much. We never were able to see more than a glimpse of his life after the fast forward before we moved on to another time
Mike: Maybe we should explain a little for those who haven't seen the movie. We won't give away too much.
Scott: Explain away.
Mike: After Newman gets the remote he sees how great it is to skip ahead on the stuff he doesn't enjoy in life, like being sick or stuck in traffic. He finds out the hard way that when you are cutting out the bad stuff, you miss a lot, including some good stuff.
I think that like 50 First Dates, this movie was both funny and had a more thoughtful side to it. I know that's crazy to say about an Adam Sandler movie, but...
The thing that surprised me the most was how emotional the movie was at times. Maybe emotional is not the word.
Scott: I think sappy is a better word than emotional.
When I look for moving movies, it's not to Sandler that I look.
Mike: I don't look for moving movies with Sandler either. But I don't know if it was the music or relating some of the scenes to my own family, but I fell for some of the drama that some would call sappy.
Scott: I think the sappiness has to do with him being a father now. He has moved on from the romantic comedies to the family comedies.
Mike: That's it. It is a family comedy, but not a children's family comedy.
Scott: You are right, it's not a children's family comedy, but only because of the language. I think if they were to cut out some of the rougher language and questionable scenes than kids would love the movie.
Mike: Even though there are kids in the movie, you would have to completely rewrite it for it to be interesting to kids.
Scott: I didn't get that. I could see kids laughing at the crazy scenes that are spread throughout the movie. Some of the jokes are straight out of 8th grade humor books.
Mike: I would not have brought a child under 13 to this movie, but maybe that's just me.
Scott: Like I said, there are some edits that would have to take place.
Mike: Like I said, completely rewritten.
This movie wanted to be It's a Wonderful Life.
Scott: Yes, that's what you said after the movie. Why did you think that?
Mike: It's similar, but kind of in reverse and of course this movie is not anywhere near that kind of quality.
Scott: Of course it's not the same quality, that's a classic. To me the big difference was that everyone seemed better off without Michael Newman. His kids seemed to do well and his wife seemed to be married to a nice guy, the only person that wasn't happy was Newman himself.
Mike: Yes, but the movie is about him and it is told from his point of view.
That's why I say that it is It's a Wonderful Life in reverse, because he sees how to change his life, not how great it is now.
Scott: They seemed to get along well without him. In that sense, it's like Butterfly Effect. Some people were better off not knowing the main character in that movie too.
Mike: As a matter of fact, his son is on his way to being him if he doesn't watch out.
Scott: True, it's not a perfect observation, but it's still there.
Mike: The funny thing is the more I thought about it, the more this reminded me of the song Cats in the Cradle more than anything else.
I'm sure some people think that is cheesy, but that song gets to me every time.
Scott: The concept of a remote that controls the world around you is a cool concept. I admit that there are times when I would like to skip past events in my life and that remote would have come in handy.
Mike: Especially when I'm forced to spend time with you! Ooops, did I say that out loud?
Something you mentioned after the movie that I agree with was that the makeup effects by Rick Baker were fantastic. Not just the aging, but making people look younger too.
Scott: The makeup was some of the best I have ever seen. Henry Winkler plays Sandler's dad, Ted. They show him and Trudy (Julie Kavner), his wife, when Sandler was a child and they looked great. They looked like they really were late 20's or early 30's.
Mike: I liked this cast: from Kate Beckinsale to Henry Winkler to Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson) to Christopher Walken.
Scott: Katie Cassidy, who plays Sandler's daughter at 27, is listed as 'Ben at 22-30' on IMDB.
Mike: Are you saying you missed the gender change operation in the film? Nice going IMDB.
Looks like Sean Astin has now become a part of the Adam Sandler company of players. His character is reminiscent of the jock he played in 50 First Dates.
Scott: He was only missing the lisp; he even had the same shorts.
The director, Frank Coraci, also directed The Waterboy and The Wedding Singer. Those are my two favorite Sandler movies.
Mike: Like you I loved The Wedding Singer, but I hated The Waterboy. My favorites are Happy Gilmore and 50 First Dates. Happy Gilmore is so goofy I can't help but laugh. Even though I own it, I have to sit and watch it if it comes on TV.
Scott: Happy Gilmore was ok, 50 First Dates was fun once, but it's not an 'on TV so I will watch it' movie for me.
Mike: I don't see it listed, but I think people are going to feel like they recognize Prince Habeeboo, but have a hard time placing him.
Scott: It's not who we thought it was.
Mike: It sure looked like Adam's old buddy Rob Schneider under there.
Scott: hmm, are you sure? I can see the face similarities, but I can't find him associated with the movie.
Mike: I think he is purposely not listed. I am going out on a limb and say that you heard it here first. You know I'm always right about these things.
I must mention both the soundtrack and the score.
Scott: I didn't pay attention to the score, the soundtrack was good though.
Mike: Nice collection of songs in the flashbacks, including Linger by the Cranberries. Which is made better by the cameo of the lead singer-nice catch on your part.
Scott: My 'song' with my wife is a Cranberries song.
Mike: Who is the sappy one now?
Scott: You don't have a song? I will have to ask Martha about that.
Mike: Martha and my song is by the Beatles. And I don't want to hear any age jokes. We just simply went with the best.
The score was very nicely done, especially during the dramatic moments in the last quarter of the movie.
Scott: You mentioned Walken earlier; he was good in this movie. His style is unique and now that I appreciate it, I look forward to seeing him in movies.
Mike: I love to watch him in a movie. He has proved himself funny numerous times on Saturday Night Live.
Scott: It took an SNL skit for me to really appreciate his ability.
Mike: He makes a good wacky professor type in this film.
Scott: How do you rate it?
Mike: I give this movie a 3.5 overall and a 4 as an Adam Sandler movie. I think this movie will do well and the legions of Sandler fans will not be disappointed.
And you?
Scott: There were some funny parts in the movie, but I think I saw most of them in the trailer. One part in the trailer was barely in the movie (the jogging scene) and that surprised me since I thought that was a funny part. I give it a 2 overall and a 2 for an Adam Sandler movie.
I wish I had a fast forward button for this movie.
Mike: Don't skip past this film when you are movie surfing this summer.
