Click (2006)
Directed by: Frank Coraci
Premise: A workaholic father (Adam Sandler) is given a remote control that manipulates time and space. Although he enjoys the benefits of skipping through life’s little crises, he soon finds that he has been missing out on his family’s life.
What Works: The film borrows quite a bit from Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life and combines that with Sandler’s usual shtick. The result is a surprisingly solid film that delivers in both its dramatic and comedic elements. The acting is very well done and the art direction and makeup effects are very impressive. Henry Winkler and Julie Kavner are excellent as Sandler’s parents and their relationship with their son, although limited to a few scenes, has a lot of authenticity to it. Kate Beckinsale plays Sandler’s wife and she manages to do something with her underwritten role. Sandler stretches himself as an actor in this picture in ways that he hasn’t before, even in films like Spanglish.
What Doesn’t: Sandler’s smart-ass routine is getting tired. He does mix it up, and there is more restraint in Click than in Happy Gilmore, but there are a few moments, namely a flatulence scene between Sandler and (in an inspired casting choice) David Hasselhoff that feel out of place. The story is rather formulaic in the It’s a Wonderful Life mode and the reversal in the ending is predictable and a little disappointing because it lets the protagonist off the hook too easily, but it will make the audience happy in the end.
Bottom Line: If Frank Capra and Adam Sandler had done a film together this is what it would be. The film’s message is not a new one, but it does restate these established themes and ideas in a contemporary and entertaining way.
Episode: #102 (July 2, 2006)