Click (2006) starring Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff, Henry Winkler, Sean Astin, Jonah Hill, Jake Hoffman, Jennifer Coolidge directed by Frank Coraci Movie Review

Click (2006)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Kate Beckinsale and Adam Sandler in Click (2006)

Sandler doesn't Click as a Newman

"Click" is one of those rare Adam Sandler movies which attempts to not just press your buttons through his love it or hate it comedy but also through a slightly sentimental drama. The trouble is that the balance between comedy and drama fails to really work leaving "Click", sadly, quite unmemorable. Being a typical Adam Sandler movie his crude humour and love of shouting will appeal to those who enjoy his juvenile antics, probably those who are still in their teens and early twenties, but where it should have depth it lacks it.

Michael Newman (Adam Sandler - The Longest Yard) a workaholic architect who thanks to his dedication to his career fails to spend enough time with his wife and children. When one day Michael is pushed to breaking point thanks to work and family demands, he heads off to buy a universal remote control so that he won't waste time searching for the correct one. Except the universal remote he buys from quirky assistant Morty (Christopher Walkern - Wedding Crashers) is no ordinary piece of equipment as he soon discovers that he can control his own life, fast forwarding all the bits he hates and pausing when he needs more time. But will the remote be the answer to his prayers or will it be the ruin of him.

Christopher Walken as Morty in Click (2006)

"Click" has one very major problem and that is the haphazard blend of comedy and drama makes it feel neither here nor there. One moment you have a scene which should be a little bit dramatic and quite sentimental thanks to the nature of the storyline, then the next you have Sandler trying to be outrageously funny. The balance doesn't work making both sides feel at odds with each other and never really achieving the funny drama it is trying to be. It's a shame as the dramatic storyline is quite good, if a little stupid thanks to the idea of the remote control. It has similarities to the likes of "The Family Man" and "It's a Wonderful Life" and the emotional side of the storyline is lost thanks to all the cheap shots when it comes to providing laughs. In reality "Click" should have been a heart warming drama which makes you smile through gentle humour rather than cold thanks to it uneven balance.

The fact that there is an uneven mix of comedy and drama causes the knock on event of "Click" feeling poorly paced. One moment the movie is moving along at quite a jaunt with comedy following comedy but then all of a sudden the pace is broken by an attempt to integrate the drama. This unevenness also causes "Click" to drag making it feel a lot longer than its actual 143 minute length, which is already quite long for this type of movie.

Adam Sandler someone who could easily be compared to Marmite, you either love him or hate him, actually doesn't do a bad job when it comes to the lead role of Michael Newman. Sandler actually shows that in between all the repetitive comedy, and it is no different here to what he does in most of his movies, he is actually not terrible when it comes to drama, although not to the extent that he could lead a pure drama. The trouble is because Sandler does the same sort of thing in most of his movies it is easy to switch off once it becomes too repetitive and familiar.

Unfortunately "Click" is very much an Adam Sandler vehicle and for that reason those who appear in supporting roles are left with very 2 dimensional characters. Kate Beckinsale who stars as Michaels' wife is pretty bland thanks to her poor character and Henry Winkler, yes the Fonz, struggles for the same reason in the role of Michael's Dad. Probably the supporting actor who actually does make an impact is David Hasselhoff who is surprisingly funny as Michael's demanding boss. As for the Christopher Walkern as Morty, well he is sadly under used but does make for a little quirky distraction when he gets some screen time.

What does stand out when it comes to "Click" is that it does feature some uncharacteristically impressive special effects. In a movie where we see Adam Sandler both age, put on weight and dramatically lose it the transformation thanks to the make up team is surprisingly good. But it is also the CGI effects such as when Michael is being told all about the remote control by Morty in what can only be described as a virtual room. If only the balance between comedy and drama could have matched up to the effects!

What this all boils down to is that "Click" although being a good idea for a fun drama is poorly developed so that it is a mismatched comedy drama with the emphasis on the comedy. The uneven balance is the movies biggest problem meaning that any emotional pay off from what should have been a touching drama is lost because of Sandler's trademark cheap laughs. Although I feel that "Click" will probably be enjoyed the most by those young enough to laugh at all the jokes, what should be a thought provoking "What If?" storyline will most likely be lost on them.


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