You Don’t Mess With The Zohan

OK its Denis Dugan again.  And if it is Denis Dugan then the lead male has to be Adam Sandler.  So we have yet another festival of the so called slapstick.  This time around, it is set to the background of that eternal fight between 2 countries that used to live in peace for a long time – Israel and Palestine.

Grown Ups 2

This was my review for Grown Ups that released over 3 years back, almost to the date

http://kartikr.blogspot.in/2010/08/grown-ups.html.  My review for Grown Ups 2 is going to have very little different to offer because it is yet again – an Adam Sandler – Denis Dugan combination that gives you nothing different from any of their previous attempts.

Just Go With It

Denis Dugan does it yet again. This is the second movie with the Adam Sandler – Denis Dugan combination that I am reviewing and I must say that there has been no improvement whatsoever. It could be a case of the director and actor have built a familiarity and there is no scope for further improvement. I would hazard a more drastic thought that they are probably the same person and that Dugan is just a front that Sandler and eventually gives us a movie that HE wants us to see. For the fifth time, Sandler and Dugan get together and give us a movie that is just about par for the course. In an adaptation of the 1969 classic Cactus Flower that starred Walter Mathau and was also the debut movie for Goldie Hawn. The only difference being that Cactus Flower was extremely tastefully made and is still remembered fondly in most circles. Just Go With It will be forgotten in a few moments after you move out of the hall.


Danny (Adam Sandler) is studying to be a doctor and is therefore a great catch for his would be wife. And the only reason the wife to be is willing to compromise on his horrendous looks (a really massive nose) is that he is a secure investment. And before I forget, she is as promiscuous as can be and has a romp in the sack with her ex boyfriend, the night before the wedding. Unfortunately for her, Danny over hears a conversation that she is having with her friends and is distraught to say the least. But things are about to change for the ugly Danny who decides to drown his sorrows in alcohol at the local bar and gets lucky… really lucky if you know what I mean. At this pivotal moment in his life, the medical student decides to keep his wedding ring and put up a front as being an unhappily married man thanks to an atrocious wife. He also chooses his area of specialization – Plastic Surgery – an extremely lucrative career in the developed world. And the wedding rings ensures that our good doctor continues to get his regular doses in the sack. Needless to say, he gets his nose also fixed soon enough to ensure that he doesn’t have any drawbacks whatsoever. This keeps going on for a few years but soon enough he finds himself not only attracted to but very much falling for Palmer (Brooklyn Decker). But his wedding ring gets him into trouble this time around and to bail himself out, he seeks the help of his very average looking but extremely committed secretary, Katherine (Jennifer Aniston).

If you have seen Cactus Flower you will find JGWI to be a travesty to say the least. If you haven’t seen it, I would strongly recommend that you watch it sooner than later because it is a wonderful movie. Adam Sandler, cannot, is not and will not be a patch on Walter Mathau, a fact that would be endorsed by several people. The same can be said of the rest of the cast also. I would guess that the only difference between Goldie Hawn and Brooklyn Decker would be that on a hotness quotient, Brooklyn is ahead by a country mile and a half. But if it is a question of class, then everyone in Cactus Flower is miles ahead. Now don’t misunderstand me when I say this. I am a genuine fan of remakes but they should be done in the right manner and tastefully. After JGWI, I am compelled to make a request for an organization that screens these remakes before the release. A just about average movie at best. 4.5 on 10 is what I would give it. Watch it on DVD if you have nothing else to do.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1443666457/

Grown Ups

If it involves Ben Stiller, I avoid it like the plague. If it involves Adam Sandler, I am not sure. The variety of matter of fact slapstick comedy gets to my nerves more often than note. Its typically way way way over the top with loads of ridiculously gross stuff thrown in as garnish. Stuff which would make the normal person thrown up. But stuff which the Adam Sandler fan would typically enjoy. In that context, Grown Ups has severely exceeded expectations. The quantity of slapstick and gross garnish has been reduced drastically. And I really mean drastically and there is a refreshing focus on a message. One thing I must credit Sandler and most of his movies with is that none of them are without a message or a central theme which invariably touches the heart. The combination of Denis Dugan and Adam Sandler have given us 4 movies to date including Grown Ups. All of them have been quite decent.

Bobby Buzzer Ferdinando (Blake Clarke) coaches a junior high team to the school championship in 1978. In his post match speech, he not only commends the five of them for a superlative performance but also encourages them to live life in the same manner as they played the final game. Thirty years down the lane, our 5 heroes have grown into very successful and some very not so successful people. Lenny Feder (Adam Sandler) is a big Hollywood agent married to Roxanne Chase (Salma Hayek) and has 3 exceptionally spoilt children who believe in texting their Chinese maid Rita (Di Quon) to get them their ice tea. Eric Lamonsoff (Kevin James) is the co-owner of a furniture store, is married to Sally (Maria Bello) and has a daughter. Kurt McKenzie (Chris Rock) is a house husband to Deanne (Maya Rudolph) and stays with his 2 kids and Maya’s obnoxious mother (Ebony Jo Ann). Rob Hillard (Rob Schneider) is a full blown hippy who, after 3 failed marriages, is now with Gloria (Joyce Van Patten), a woman old enough to be his mother. Bringing up the full circle is every single womanizer, Marcus Higgins (David Spade).

A not so good twist of fate gets them back to New England. Coach Buzzer has kicked the bucket. The five friends with family in town get together for the funeral and some time together on the 4th July weekend where Feder has booked them all into the Lake House where they spent their days growing up. Lenny, however cannot stay the entire weekend since Roxanne has to go to Milan for fashion week with kids and maid in tow – a fact which the rest of the gang is unaware of. After they pay their respects to the coach, all of them move to the lake house.

Grown Ups takes a close look at the kind of lives that we live and encourages us to make changes – before its too late. We have children these days who on a bright, beautiful, sunny day prefer to kill their time in front of a Television or playing mindless video games that involve killing people on a beach coz its considered very cool. We build up facades of our life that we want people to perceive us as. Unfortunately we extend this to even those who are closest to us – those to whom it would not matter at all as to what we are. Very rarely will we find ourselves really being honest not only to ourselves but also to our loved ones – very petty lies, but lies nevertheless. It very clearly seems that we have forgotten how to have a good time. As I said earlier, yet another Adam Sandler movie that’s slapstick but has a strong message

Grown Ups is a clean and extremely funny movie. Its would be worth taking the kids out as well. Parental Guidance (PG) is however advisable. Very enjoyable fare positively. I give it 5 on 10.