Welcome to the return of classic Sandler movies!!
I got to meet Vanilla Ice and have an impromptu conversation, check it out here.
I’ve seen a lot of Adam Sandler movies. Not all of them, but a lot of them. In the beginning, they were funny, crazy, and crude, but there was always a good message at the end of the day. More recently, they have been less crazy and crude, more family-friendly, or even the so-called worst movie of all time (it wasn’t THAT bad, people!!). “That’s My Boy” would fall into the “Billy Madison” or “Happy Gilmore” type of movie.
Todd (Andy Samberg) is the product of an illicit student-teacher relationship. You see, his mother was his father’s middle school teacher. Todd’s mother, Mrs. McGarricle (Eva Amurri Martino, in a clever bit of casting, which becomes apparent when you see Mrs. McGarricle 30 years later) got pregnant from her teenage boyfriend Donny (Adam Sandler). She was subsequently sentenced to 30 years in prison, and Donny was made to raise their son, who they named Han Solo (which he changed when he was older).
Fast forward about 30 years. Todd (formerly known as Han Solo) is about to marry Jamie (Leighton Meester). They go to stay at Todd’s boss Steve Spirou’s (Tony Orlando) house in Cape Cod, along with Jamie’s parents Gerald and Helen (Blake Clark, a veteran of a few Sandler movies and Meagen Fay). Also joining them are Jamie’s brother Chad (Milo Ventimiglia), who plays a dedicated Marine, and Steve’s Grandma Delores (Peggy Stewart), a former swimsuit model.
Donny is in dire need of money for not paying his taxes, or else he will be thrown in jail. Desperate, Donny tracks Todd down but Todd can’t introduce him as his father, because the story that he told everyone is that his parents are both deceased. So Donny is presented as Todd’s best friend. Surprisingly, everybody loves the crude, crass, over-the-top Donny, except Todd and Jamie. Over the course of the weekend, Donny and Todd actually begin to form a bond, until something happens that ruins everything.
I’m glad to say that Leighton Meester didn’t scare me in this movie like she did in “The Roommate”. I literally could not watch “Gossip Girl” for a month because of her performance!! Her character Jamie did take a disturbing turn, however. I was NOT expecting that to happen but it did and it was crazy.
I was pleased with Andy Samberg’s performance. He had the perfect balance of exasperation at his father but still wanting his father to BE a dad to him.
Other standouts in this film include Will Forte and Rachel Dratch as Todd’s coworker Phil and his wife and Luenell as Champale, a dancer at Donny’s favorite hangout, Classy Rick’s Bacon and Legs Strip Club. This lady is NOT afraid to show off her goodies!! Speaking of goodies, Ciara also has a role in this film, as a waitress at Classy Ricks. And let’s not forget James Caan as Father McNally, the priest who officiates the wedding.
OH and I must comment on my interviewee Vanilla Ice’s performance. This was no cameo role for him (although there is a cameo from an actor from an 80s TV show that is quite hilarious)!! I’m not sure if it was because he was actually in the audience in person but everyone was laughing a lot at his scenes. So much that sometimes I missed what was being said!! What I did hear was funny though. This is not a case of a musician trying his hand at acting, he really did a good job. And yes, as he stated in my interview, his classic song “Ice Ice Baby” is played during the movie.
Some of the more outrageous moments in this film include but are not limited to: surprising and hilarious back tattoos, the bachelor party (both of them!!), Donny’s choice of masturbatory material, the numerous uses of the phrase “WHASSSSUP” (that will probably make a comeback now) and Jamie’s family secret.
Believe it or not, “That’s My Boy” is a good Father’s Day movie for grown-ups. Please be warned that there is a LOT of semi-nudity, inappropriateness, curse words, and just general craziness. There is also a ton of laughs and fun, along with a good message at the end of the day.
