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Adam Sandler times two in Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill - Theater Review
Release Date: 11/11/11 - MPAA Rating: PG
Clacker Rating: 3 Clacks

Adam Sandler co-stars with himself, his friends, Katie Holmes and a major movie star in the new comedy 'Jack and Jill.' And it's actually funny!

Adam Sandler plays twins in "Jack and Jill"

Adam Sandler returns to the big, co-starring  with himself in the new comedy Jack and Jill. The story goes a little something like this: Jack and Jill are twins (fraternal/identical?), but instead of sharing that twin bond that most twins seem to have, Jack can’t stand Jill (although Jill has an unhealthy affinity for Jack). She’s loud, braying, needy … but underneath it all, she only wants to be loved. When Jill arrives in LA for a Thanksgiving vacation, she decides to hang around through Hanukkah because she’s lonely (their mother has recently passed away). Jack decides the only way to get rid of her is to fix her up with an internet date, but Jack’s advertising client (Dunkin’ Donuts) wants a major celebrity to endorse their new Dunkacino beverage and that star finds a soul mate in Jill, much to Jack’s dismay.

I really had zero hope for this movie going in. I’ve seen enough Adam Sandler movies to know what to expect from the good (The Wedding Singer) to the bad (Little Nicky) and everything in between. Sandler caters to the “low-brow” comedy  crowd, relying on his annoying child voice and fart jokes way too much to get a laugh. But Sandler can somehow manage to win over audiences when he puts a little heart into his movies instead of just going for the toilet humor. The Wedding Singer worked because of the relationship between Sandler and Drew Barrymore (and was similarly successful with her in 50 First Dates). Jack and Jill goes for the brash, the loud, the bodily functions more often than not, but by the end there is just enough love between the characters to warm your heart, and Sandler has better chemistry with himself than he does with Katie Holmes.

I have to admit that I did laugh out loud many times during the movie, whether it was during an uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinner scene where even a homeless man couldn’t handle the tension between Jack and Jill, Jill just being Jill, or the major star poking fun at himself. Yes, I actually enjoyed Jack and Jill more than I ever expected. I always enjoy spotting Sandlers buddies in his movies — David Spade, Rob Schniedier, Dana Carvey — and this one was loaded with friends, celebrity cameos, sports figures and that major star.  Watch closely and you may spot (some are more prominent than others) Tim Meadows, Norm MacDonald, Gary Valentine, Regis Philbin, Dan Patrick, Shaq, Drew Carey (there’s a whole Price is Right scene), John McEnroe, Christie Brinkley, Michael Irvin, Jared Fogle (the Subway guy), Billy Blanks, Bruce Jenner, Dennis Dugan (the film’s director), Richard Kline (Larry from Three’s Company) and Johnny Depp. As for that major star (SPOILER ALERT) — Al Pacino shows up as himself in what seems to be a cameo but turns into a full blown co-starring role as Jill’s suitor. It’s funny and distrubing at the same time.

Comedy certainly is subjective and you either like Adam Sandler or you hate him. I’m kind of in the middle, but I have to say I had a pretty good time with this movie (and this is one you really want to see with a large audience and a group of friends). The effect of Sandler playing the two characters is pretty flawless, and make sure to stay through the credits to see a collection of real twins talk about their relationships (they open the movie as well). This certainly isn’t a movie that “mainstream” critics are going to  applaud — and as of this writing, the film has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — but I think general audiences looking for a few good laughs (and who doesn’t need a few laughs right about now) and Sandler’s fan base will find Jack and Jill to be a funny, enjoyable and, yes, heartwarming experience.

         

Photo Credit: Sony Pictures

One Response to “Adam Sandler times two in Jack and Jill”

November 11, 2011 at 8:36 AM

I agree with this review. I’m a middle of the road Adam Sandler fan as well. I don’t usually voluntarily watch any of his films but I have enjoyed a few of them. I thought J&J did have quite a few out loud and even a couple of belly laughs for me! I enjoyed it! Thanks!!

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