The Do-Over: Sandler's New Movie Is Surprisingly Not A Rancid Ballsack

As you know, I am have been a staunch Sandler supporter.  I was still there after he made I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry when people started to question whether or not Sandler's comedy was starting a decline.  I was there after the first Grown Ups that made me question Sandler's sanity in general. I was there when Just Go With It actually made me laugh, but no one else.  I was there when Jack and Jill came out-- and that's when I had to stop being there. Watching Adam Sandler dressed as a woman and spewing hackneyed "jokes" that wouldn't pass muster even in the early 90s was too much.  I couldn't defend him anymore.  I still watched his movies though-- believing that one day he'd have that one comedy that resurrected the Sandler of old and showed all the naysayers that he was still funny.  Then came That's My Boy, Grown Ups 2, Blended, The Ridiculous 6, and arguably one of the worst uses of digital film in the history of moving pictures, Pixels.  The Do-Over is not that rejuvenation that will convert all the anti-Sandler activists, but it isn't a fetid pyramid of buckets filled with curdled goat piss-- and that, my friends, is a big improvement.

Charlie (David Spade) is a loser. He works at a bank within a supermarket, his wife hates him, his step-kids don't respect him and he's essentially the biggest wuss in the world. Enter Max (Sandler), a proclaimed FBI agent and former high school friend of Charlie who takes pity upon him and sets up a way for Charlie to escape his terrible life.  He fakes their deaths and the two take over the identities of two unclaimed dead bodies.  Fortunately for them, these dudes were loaded and left them a ton of cash and mansion in Puerto Rico.  Unfortunately for them, they're on the FBI Most Wanted List as well as being tracked down by various hit men. The two of them must now figure out who everyone thinks they are while avoiding being killed.

Here's what's surprising about the movie-- there's actually a story.  Yes, this sounds like one of those cheap high concept Sandler premises that he somehow figures out a way to bastardize (like Click-- great premise-- awful execution).  However, there is a actually a pretty decent and twisty story happening on screen. Screenwriters Kevin Barnett and Chris Pappas do a suitable job of putting these characters into not just comedic situations, but moments that will pay off and not feel 'cheap' during the big reveal at the end. In fact, they almost pay too much attention to story and character that they may have lost moments of comedy that were looked over. Now, in the case of a Sandler film, favoring "comedy" over story isn't exactly a welcome thing. But, this isn't your typical hack, body fluids spewing everywhere, type Sandler film. It honestly looks like he's trying here.

Sandler in this film is Sandler in every film.  He's there to have a good time, hang out with his friends, spout a few fart jokes, and get paid.  He's the same here, but he's decently likable.  It's Spade's Charlie that really runs the film. Spade's characters usually center around a self-centered, narcissistic, cocky douchebag.  Here, he owns the title of loser. He's meek and never strays from character, but doesn't play it like a shlocky cartoon. It's probably, honestly, his best role since Tommy Boy. Paula Patton joins the film as the wife of one of the deceased-- she's okay-- she's underused. Kathryn Hahn shows up randomly as Sandler's psycho ex-girlfriend-- she's okay-- actually, she's pretty great. Luis Guzman shows up to drop ball sweat on Spade's face-- it's dumb-- but you gotta love Guzman. Nick Swardson shows up to get continuously hit by cars-- he's okay-- severely underused. It's all about the two main leads having fun and figuring out the mystery of the manhunt that's after them.

So, I guess the biggest problem of the film is that it just isn't that funny. It's not un-funny the way Sandler has been un-funny in the past.  It's not unfunny because there's a four minute scene of a donkey shitting on a wall... it's un-funny because story keeps happening around it. It's also a bit homophobic and demeaning to women (as are most of Sandler's movies), but then there are moments where it redeems itself both with its female characters and gay ones. Then, back to offensive, and not in a good way. Sandler's character is supposed to be a foul-mouthed, free-spirited, dickhead who can spout any sort of offensive retort to women, gay people, etc. And he can get away with it, but sometimes it transcends character and is just crudely un-funny and offensive, sticking out like a sore thumb.

There are a few moments of comedy and they'll give you a chuckle or two, but overall it's just an okay film to pass a couple of hours.  If anyone else had been attached to this movie, it probably would've been a major let down. But, the fact that it's Sandler makes a mediocre movie look like Casablanca. If you're still a Sandler fan, you'll enjoy it.  If you used to be a Sandler fan, you'll probably enjoy it.  If you've sworn off Sandler entirely for the rest of your days-- well, I won't be the one to convince you, and even then, you probably shouldn't watch it. I guess the best part about it is that if you hate it-- at least you didn't pay money to see it in theaters.

C