Director: Frank Coraci
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Wendi McLendon-Covey
Release Date: May 23, 2014
Grown Ups 2, Adam Sandler's last film, was a huge bust despite raking in over $130 million in the box office, receiving a disgusting 7% on the Tomatometer from Rotten Tomatoes. You actually have to go back all the way to 2009 for a live action film of Sandler's that got over 20% which was Funny People that got a score of 68%. In Blended, Adam Sandler puts aside his "Grown Up" pals and teams up with Drew Barrymore again. This duo has brought us some of my favorite Sandler films such as The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates, but can they give us another hit or will Sandler deliver another bust?
Lauren (Drew Barrymore) and Jim (Adam Sandler) are two single parents looking to rekindle their love life after 20 years of marriage. Lauren and Jim end up going on a blind date with each other at Hooters and things couldn't go any worse, leaving them both to believe that they are just better off single. The two never want to see each other again but unfortunately for them, that is not how fate works out. Turns out, both families end up going on the same African safari resort for spring break. Will their African journey make the two families kill each other or will it unite them?
Blended is a romantic comedy in which Adam Sandler hopes he can take a step in the right direction when it comes to making hits again. Two single parents with a combined five children makes it seem a little Brady Bunch-esque, but unlike Mike and Carol Brady these parents are dysfunctional and not the best at parenting in general. Adam Sandler has proven himself to be a successful romantic comedy lead but has also shown us he can be that shouting, immature man-child. Which happens to be the films biggest problem; it doesn't know which Sandler they want to give us.
Despite giving us two different Sandlers at times, we see the chemistry we love in his past films with Drew Barrymore. There's just something about Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler on the big screen together that just creates magic. In the middle of the film, the two actors meet up accidentally for a morning cup of coffee. Not much is said besides them talking about their respective children and gazing at the scenery. Words are at a minimum but the chemistry is at a high. Really makes you wonder, why it has been ten years since the duo has teamed up to make another film? The scene ends with two rhinos having intercourse - que in the second Sandler.
Usually the cameos in Adam Sandler's films are highlights but this time around most of them are just duds. Joel McHale, Kevin Nealon, Shaquille O’Neal and Terry Crews all make cameos but the only one worth talking about is Crews. But then after his fifth musical number it gets tiring. Sandler does pay homage to his past films with Barrymore by throwing in two character cameos from their past films.
Shockingly, even with all the negatives that Blended consists of, the film isn't all that bad. Yes, the acting from the children was not the best, Sandler's goof ball comedy ruins scenes at times and some moments that happen to be too silly, but there are jokes, believe it or not, that are actually laugh out loud funny. Try your hardest to hold it in, but you will laugh. Perhaps if Sandler just stayed with the successful romantic comedy lead side instead of his comedian side, the film could have been better, but the end result is quite charming. I wouldn't recommend going to theaters to see this film, it's best that you wait until the film hits Netflix or On Demand to have a family movie night just to see this one. Be cautious when you do decide to see this film with your young ones as there is an overload of masturbation and sex jokes.
Labels: 2014, Adam Sandler, Blended, Drank Coraci, Drew Barrymore, Movie Review, On Demand, Wendi McLendon-Covey
