Click Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)June 24th, 2006
CLICK
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2006 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): **
CLICK, a movie with an endlessly cute concept, is a theatrical dud, thanks to yet another sleepwalking performance by comedic megastar Adam Sandler. Although he can on rare occasions be good, as he is in SPANGLISH, generally he is either lifeless, as he is in CLICK and 50 FIRST DATES, or annoying, as he is in THE WEDDING SINGER and THE WATERBOY. Why this nearly talentless actor has such popularity continues to amaze me.
Two parts comedy and one part message movie, CLICK is a blend of BACK TO THE FUTURE with A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Sandler plays Michael Newman, a workaholic architect who is too often AWOL when it comes to his own family. He's more interested in wooing clients than in paying attention to his two sweet kids and to his beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale).
Getting what appears at first to be his salvation starts with a trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond. In the "Way Beyond" section, he meets a Doc Brown-type of character played by Christopher Walken. As a gadget section clerk named Morty, Walken underplays an underwritten role, which does keep him from ever upstaging the film's star. This means, however, that one actor who could have provided some much needed sparks never does any more than smolder.
Writers Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe do come up with some nice material, which they sandwich between the story's many duds. The movie's premise is that Morty gives Michael a "really" universal remote. It can control everything in his life. Wife bitching? Zip past it. Dog barking? Mute him. Boss irritating you? Hit pause and then fart right in his face, many times. See what I mean about a promising premise that has its moments but is too often wasted?
With a single casting change, having Jim Carrey replace Sandler, the movie could have worked. Still, the gooey last act, with Michael learning that skipping past life's unpleasant moments means he missed the good parts too, would need a rewrite no matter who played the lead.
CLICK runs 1:37. It is rated PG-13 for "language, crude and sex-related humor, and some drug references" and would be acceptable for kids around 11 and up.
My son Jeffrey, age 17, said that, although he liked it, he was disappointed by it. Expecting it to be a comedy, he didn't like the last act. Overall, he gave it ***. His girlfriend Yasmin, age 16, gave it *** 1/2, saying that she thought it was hilarious and had good morals.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, June 23, 2006. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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