‘Just Go with It’

Director: Dennis Dugan

Starring: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Nick Swardson

2/5 popcorns

Adam Sandler is idolized for his hilarious portrayals of average Joes who may or may not be employed. His character in ‘Just Go with It,’ one of his richer romantic comedies, may not be as endearingly lazy as he usually is, but it’s otherwise indistinguishable from his prior efforts. ‘Just Go with It’ is a clichéd romantic comedy by any standard, but it also marks the most significant milestone in the evolution of the prototypical Sandler character.

In every film on his record,Sandler is slovenly and crude, and he never acts like a full-fledged adult. In ‘Billy Madison’ (1995) and ‘Happy Gilmore’ (1996), Sandler graduated from miscreant to self-provider. In ‘Big Daddy’ (1999), he learned to be a father. In ‘The Longest Yard’ (2005), he learned to be a leader. In ‘Funny People’ (2009), his finest mainstream film, he came to grips with his unhappiness. In ‘Just Go with It,’ he takes a quantum leap that might finally confirm his readiness to assimilate into adulthood.

In ‘Just Go with It,’ Sandler does the unthinkable: He reconsiders his relationship with an impossibly beautiful 23-year-old when he falls for someone his own age.

A successful, unmarried plastic surgeon who wears a wedding ring to attract young, beautiful women, Danny Maccabee (Sandler) hits the jackpot when he connects with bombshell math teacher Palmer (Brooklyn Decker). Danny’s loyal secretary, Katherine Murphy (Jennifer Aniston), generally turns a blind eye to Danny’s faux-marriage antics but is dragged into his scheme when Palmer asks to meet his ex-wife. Katherine is unsurprisingly coerced into acting as Danny’s former significant other.

Katherine’s children adopt their role as Danny’s children in a trip to Hawaii, during which Danny takes a liking to them and realizes Katherine is spunkier and more interesting than her demeanor at work would suggest. Danny and Katherine’s feelings for each other are illuminated when a more competitive couple, Devlin Adams (Nicole Kidman) and Ian Maxtone Jones(Dave Matthews), brings out the best in them — even if that means Danny and Katherine are trying to best the prim and proper Devlin. Danny can’t have both Palmer and Katherine, a dilemma intensified by the fact that both women are exceptionally likable.

The laughs are not as riotous as in Sandler’s work in the early 2000s, but the film has an unshakable charm that qualifies it as one of his more meaningful movies. It falls victim to nearly every romantic comedy trapping, but the chemistry between Sandler, the most successful comedic actor of his generation, and Aniston, the most successful comedic actress of her generation (aside from Julia Roberts), is absolutely perfect. As a strong single parent who has never taken the time to do something for herself, Aniston is terrific in a truly winning role. It is her kids, however, who bring out the best in Sandler with their exaggeratedly mature quips and antics.

As much as one wishes to like an Adam Sandler movie, more often than not, he or she will exit the theater disappointed. Likable as ‘Just Go with It’ is, it’s arguably his most poorly constructed romantic comedy. As in just about any mainstream romantic comedy,the ending is telegraphed in the trailer, and nothing about the story itself is revolutionary. The consequences of Sandler’s actions are hardly convincing, especially because neither object of his affection has any flaws to speak of. Even by Sandler’s standards, it’s aggravatingly formulaic.

As proven in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Punch-Drunk Love’ (2002),one of the finest comedies of the decade, Sandler has enormous potential as an actor. If he continues to opt for massive paychecks,he will never reach that potential — though it’s great to see an actor in his mid-40s who still has room to grow.

smlittma@syr.edu

Published on February 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm