Directed by Dennis Dugan.
Starring: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Nicole Kidman, Dave Matthews.
For better or worse, I’m an Adam Sandler fan. I just enjoy his laid back shtick and the way he attacks his material. He knows what’s good for him as an actor and stays within two distinct ranges in his films. You’ll find him acting either edgy and brave (Funny People, Punch Drunk Love) or playing the complacent loner living in his own world (Billy Madison, The Waterboy).
In “Just Go With It”, we find the latter; he’s a middle-aged man/boy wrestling with the dangers of emotional commitment. However, don’t get the idea that this is a film of great depth and substance, remember it’s an Adam Sandler film, it’s simply a light diversion into silly comedy and romance. A minor attempt to lighten your mood and deliver a few inspired laughs, and by the end of the film that’s exactly what you get.
Loosely based on the 1969 comedy “Cactus Flower”, “Just Go With It” is the story of Danny Maccabee, a freewheeling playboy doctor (Sandler), who seduces and then keeps women at arms length by pretending to be married. When he finally meets the woman he does want to marry (‘Sports Illustrated’ model Decker), circumstances force him to lie his way into the relationship with the help of his down-to-earth assistant (Aniston) and her two precocious children.
Surprisingly, Sandler and Aniston are great together, and the scenes where they go at each other as a make-believe bickering divorcing couple are excruciatingly delightful. Watching them paint each other into a corner with a barrage of escalating lies is just plain fun, and later when they are forced to declare their likes of one another, you can really believe they are falling in love.
The other characters, like Danny’s insipid cousin (Nick Swardson), the irritating yet lovable children, and a decidedly unfunny Nicole Kidman add nothing to the proceedings, but at least they don’t take away anything either.
“Just Go With It” is a respectable Valentine’s Day date film. You should find just enough laughs and romance to satisfy.
Although I think Sandler was not a very good choice to play a part like this, I think he did a great job with Jennifer Aniston. I am looking forward to seeing this movie again very soon!
A good honest review. Except for a couple departures, yes, Sandler is always Sandler. Likeable enough, but there's no reason to watch two of his movies back to back, or expect anything but light amusement when there's nothing else to do.
Surprisingly, you used the words "Aniston" and "great" in the same sentence. Unless it was her chest you were referring to, I thought that impossible. 😉
But seriously, I think you're coming at this with the right attitude. I'm a bit loathe to go to the theater to see it because I don't want to encourage Sandler's habit of making the same movie over and over again, but I can't say that it doesn't look like a little bit of fun, either. It'll make for a fine 90 minutes wasted when it's on cable in a year and a half. YBLM