One big happy family?
Swift shot: Perfect PG-13 family film with a wonderful tapestry of colorful characters. Adam Sandler gets a lot of crap for not being funny, yet his online film views are through the roof. At some point, he’s become the Barry Manilow of film. Everyone watches his films, they just don’t own up to it! It’s too bad, because every once in awhile, he’ll pop out a gem like Blended.
Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler have proven in the past that they have terrific comedic chemistry with the romantic tear-jerker, 50 First Dates. Blended also has an emotional element to it – it’s not just a straight up zany comedy. Once again, the duo manages to pull off believable characters that you genuinely want to like.
Adam plays single father, Jim who works at Dick’s Sporting Goods store. And since his wife left him, he has pulled double duty as dad and mom . . . to three daughters. One of his girls is named after a sports network, so, yea, he is clueless about raising girls. Oddly enough, that bit never got old, because they peppered it into the film appropriately without over seasoning the meat. Oh, he makes his oldest daughter, Larry (Bella Thorne) eat a lot of meat so she can bulk-up to play B-Ball.
Drew plays recently divorced single mother, Lauren who works with the delightfully disturbed Jen (Wendi McLendon-Covey) at Closet Queens. They organize your closets. Lauren has two sons, and they are at the age when they literally become more than she can handle. One repeating gag is when she has to keep lugging the youngest kid to bed. She could use a little help. And her other kid is infatuated with his babysitter, played by Lauren Lapkus.
If you’ve seen the previews, you know the two parents meet for a blind date, at Hooters (classy guy), and it goes horribly wrong. But, fate steps in and they each wind up on the same romantic, family trip to Africa. That’s the whole setup. The blended family is actually a theme at this resort, and Terry Crews as Nickens complete with his colorfully-clad chorus line, delights in all the life and reality of all the families present. I mean to say, he follows them around singing, whether it’s appropriate or not! A few times I was thinking, wow I would not want them following me around.
There’s no surprise that the two parents develop a respect for one another and that it blossoms into something like romance. But, there’s no guarantee that they will be able to keep the Africa trip magic alive once they return home . . . to reality.
Blended is a fun film, if you are a parent, there are plenty of relate-able moments that will keep you laughing. Not all the jokes work, some are tacky and terrible, but Sandler gives a few nods to his older films, including 50 First Dates, without being lame about it. The kids steal this film, especially Jim’s youngest daughter, Lou (Alyvia Alyn Lind). And the fish out of water routine isn’t abused, in fact, the comedy, the tragedy and the story are all blended well. You’ll watch this one, you just won’t tell anyone you did!
[Swift aside: I was surprised to see both Sandler and Barrymore were nominated for Razzies for this film. They weren’t terrible, and I think they are easy targets for the gutless, scrot-munching pantaloons sniffers that run the Razzies]
