Adam Sandler, Cole and Dylan Sprouse, and Joey Lauren Adams
Adam Sandler Shows He Can Perform in Another Genre
Adam Sandler is certaintly proving to be one of the biggest stars, as well as suprises (not to me, but to many in Hollywood) to hit the Motion Picture scene in a while. I have been a huge Sandler fan since his days on Saturday Night Live and especially since his first comedy album (They're All Going To Laugh At You), and even I am suprised at how huge he has made it and how diverse an actor he has become. He may never completely break free of the sterotype of the "goofy guy actor," although Jim Carey did, so why can't Adam? This time around is Sandler's Big Daddy, which helps to prove that his mainstream appeal of The Wedding Singer wasn't a fluke. Again, for those of you who are expecting the typical Adam Sandler film (i.e. The Waterboy, Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison) will be disappointed, but those of you looking for a light hearted comedy and don't mind a little tug at the heartstrings will be pleasantly suprised.
Layla (Joey Lauren Adams) and Sonny (Adam Sandler) do laundry
Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler, The Waterboy and The Wedding SInger) is a slacker. We discover this rather quickly when we learn that he is a Law School Graduate who is working one day a week as a Toll Booth worker because he received a large settlement in a Taxi accident lawsuit awhile ago. His girlfriend Vanessa (Kristy Swanson, Buffy, The Vampire Slayer [Original Motion Picture, not the TV Series]) tells him that she wants more out of their relationship and tells him to think about his life. Shortly after this Julian (played by twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse in their first motion picture) is dropped at his doorstep who is supposedly his roommate Kevin's (Jon Stewart, The Daily Show) kid who is there because his mother is dying and wanted the boy to be with his biological father. Sonny tries to return Julian to the Social Services Office while Kevin is away on business (Kevin says Julian can't be his kid so it must be a mistake), but he can't right away because it is a holiday. Sonny starts to like the boy and realizes that keeping Julian can be the kind of change Vanessa was looking for and will prove that Sonny is trying to be more mature so he tells the social worker that he is Kevin and that he will take care of "his son". However the plan backfires and Vanessa dumps Sonny for an older guy with a "five year plan." Sonny tries to give Julian back again, but finds out that they need to find another foster family and it will take awhile. Since they are going to be together awhile, Sonny tries to make the best of being with Julian and takes him under his wing as a pseudo-parent. While enjoying his new found responsibility Sonny meets Layla (Joey Lauren Adams, Chasing Amy and Dazed and Confused), a lawyer who is not looking for a relationship but has unwittenly stumbled into one with Sonny. Predictably, Sonny falls in love with Julian and wants to keep him permanently... and just as predictably, Social Services finds out about his fraud and takes Julian away. With Layla's help (as well as Kevin's, and a couple of his old Law School buddys) Sonny files to get Julian back and goes to court. The following scene is a fairly big tear jerker, especially since Sandler is involved (not usually known for his crying scenes)... but will it be enough to sway the judge?
Dylan and Cole Sprouse pull double duty as Julian
Big Daddy was a suprising move for Adam Sandler (who also co-wrote and produced the movie), who is known for being a goofy and wacky character in silly and sometimes stupid (but still funny) movies. His only stray from this type has been The Wedding Singer, a romantic comedy that still had elements of what Sandler fans have come to know and love. Big Daddy also has these elements and characters... both Sonny and the delivery man (Rob Schneider, Saturday Night Live and Demolition Man) are good examples... but is not really a comedy by definition. It also has a large portion that would be defined as "cutesy" meant to tug at your heartstrings. Because of this, this movie is quite a bit slower and not filled with as many laughs as Sandler's other movies. It takes Big Daddy a while to find its, a little too long, but it still is quite entertaining. It also shows a suprising and new side of Adam Sandler that I enjoyed and I think you will too... so go ahead and take a chance with Big Daddy.
