I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY concerns two aggressively heterosexual fire fighters, Chuck (Sandler) and Larry (Kevin James) who get legally married for insurance purposes and then find themselves forced to play out the roles of husband and husband. It's hardly original, but in the hands of a master of bad-taste comedy it might have been very funny. Unfortunately, director Dennis Dugan ain't no Mel Brooks--and Adam Sandler sure ain't no Cleavon Little.
Throughout the film Sandler is presented as a mighty stud and a chick super magnet--but given that Sandler is about as sexy as Wally Cox this is even more improbable than the plot itself. We are also very obviously supposed to like him--but given that he spends the film finding ways to be obnoxious to every one who crosses his path it isn't possible to do so. I could overlook this if the film was actually funny, but it isn't: there's no wit, no cleverness, no originality, and most damning of all no heart. We feel nothing for these people except, perhaps, a sense of gratitude that we aren't like them.
When all is said and done, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY is simply a parade of unoriginal insults with a few minutes of "aw, shucks, folks! We didn't really mean to offend anybody" tacked on at the end. Nothing is more excruciating than an unfunny comedy except a dull unfunny comedy, and this is all of that with a Hallmark card thrown in for good measure.
The DVD includes several bonuses, including a couple of audio tracks with Sandler, the director, and so on--but I can't comment on them because I couldn't be bothered to learn more about a movie that was so tiresome in the first place. If you're in the mood for bad-taste comedy, pick up a copy of PORKY'S, American PIE, or better yet the classic BLAZING SADDLES instead. Not only are they actually funny, they also have heart.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Throughout the film Sandler is presented as a mighty stud and a chick super magnet--but given that Sandler is about as sexy as Wally Cox this is even more improbable than the plot itself. We are also very obviously supposed to like him--but given that he spends the film finding ways to be obnoxious to every one who crosses his path it isn't possible to do so. I could overlook this if the film was actually funny, but it isn't: there's no wit, no cleverness, no originality, and most damning of all no heart. We feel nothing for these people except, perhaps, a sense of gratitude that we aren't like them.
When all is said and done, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY is simply a parade of unoriginal insults with a few minutes of "aw, shucks, folks! We didn't really mean to offend anybody" tacked on at the end. Nothing is more excruciating than an unfunny comedy except a dull unfunny comedy, and this is all of that with a Hallmark card thrown in for good measure.
The DVD includes several bonuses, including a couple of audio tracks with Sandler, the director, and so on--but I can't comment on them because I couldn't be bothered to learn more about a movie that was so tiresome in the first place. If you're in the mood for bad-taste comedy, pick up a copy of PORKY'S, American PIE, or better yet the classic BLAZING SADDLES instead. Not only are they actually funny, they also have heart.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer