Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Ghost of Hannukah Future
Jake and I saw Click tonight. Here’s the bottom line for those of you with a short attention span: on a 1 to 10 scale, I give it a 7, Jake gives it a 6, and we both thought the ending sucked.
Six, man, that’s kind of harsh, but Jake is one harsh critic. (You should hear how he rates my dinners.) But I peeked at him during the movie and I think he enjoyed it at least 7-worth.
We’ll have to agree to disagree. Or — how about 6.5? Jake, that okay with you?
Jake: How about 6.00001?
Me: Bastard.
Jake: Takes one to know one.
Back to the movie. I agreed to see it because (A) I like Adam Sandler, and (B) I love Chris Walken. The premise sounded dippy (guy gets magical remote control which gives him complete power over his life), so my expectations weren’t terribly high. Jake, on the other hand, came into this with sky-high expectations. It’s a wonder he gave it a six.
In fact, Click is more ambitious than I thought it would be. Scoot it in beside Groundhog Day, another magical tale in which the protagonist learns to be a better human being; but Click has far older roots than that. Michael Newman (Sandler) comes off as a more-lovable-than-Scrooge Scrooge, but Scrooge nonetheless — he’s a workaholic who never fails to put work before family. Sure, he loves his family, but not enough. Soon, the magic amplifies traits that have been with Michael from the beginning, and he seems powerless to dig himself out of his hole.
But wait — I thought he had a remote which gave him complete control. That’s the problem with magic without rules. Both Jake and I were scratching our heads wondering why Michael didn’t rewind. The remote can do anything. Rewind, dumbshit!
Heavily marketed on the kids’ channels, Click doesn’t dare shift gears from comedy to tragedy (although I found myself wishing it would). As with romance, the HEA is mandatory. But the writers have painted themselves into a corner. How will they do it — will Michael on his deathbed finally hit the rewind button? Will he die and be reincarnated back into his family? Will it all be a dream?
Um. One of those. Yup.
I have other nits to pick:
- The writers decided it would be okay to milk jokes out of stereotypic Arabic and Japanese businessmen — boring, not funny, offensive.
- Even I tired of the dog-humping-stuffed-animal jokes.
- I must be getting old. Fart and poop jokes don’t do it for me anymore.
- I wanted more Chris Walken and I wish they would have let him do his schtick.
Despite these lead weights, the movie has enough fine moments to buoy it to a 7. Michael’s wife (Kate Beckinsale) is adorable, as are Michael’s kids, and their time together on the screen feels so genuine that I really did root for them, and got all teary-eyed when things began to go to hell. You can’t argue with this movie’s messages (family first, don’t live your life on remote), either, although I found myself longing for Scrooged and Groundhog Day. I also liked the cameos from Julie Kavner and Henry Winkler, who play Michael’s parents, and James Earl Jones, who plays a voice-over.
Scrooged. Heh. Remember Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present? And lest ye think I am a total Bill Murray fanboy, I have one thing to say: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Gaaaah. What was that?
D.
I find Adam Sandler a bit meh, but Christopher Walken is the bees knees.
If you have never seen Scotland, Pa (2001) then hunt it down like a dog. The film is a retelling of Macbeth, set in a mid-70s burger bar in the eponymous Pennsylvania town. Walken plays Lieutenant McDuff. A masterpiece of dark humour.
Yup, I know Scotland, PA, and love it. My son is reading Macbeth at the moment. Once he finishes it, we’re renting the Walken version (and Polanski’s version, too, if I can find it).
Sandler’s done a lot of stuff that I haven’t liked. As young-to-slightly-middle-aged Jewish male leads go, I prefer Ben Stiller. I liked Sandler in Spanglish and The Wedding Singer, though.
Ooh, Carol Kane and the toaster. That movie needs to not be hidden away in the Christmas box.
I like Sandler, too, when he’s not playing an idiot. (IOW, I liked The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates.)
I loved Spanglish and well, but its the only Sandler movie I can see that doesn’t feel like a frat movie..maybe this one will be worth a watch too. thanks!
Scrooged is da bomb! I watch it every single year around christmas when they play it to death.
Dusty, if you haven’t tried Groundhog Day yet, give it a shot.
Darla, I’m not sure why, but 50 First Dates bugged me.
Spanglish wasn’t bad, and the Wedding Singer was well…..freaky. Watching him playing an adult in the 80’s when I was in Selma Naccach’s World Literature class with him, in high school. A bit of a weird mental glitch occured. His more “frat movie” type of movies is very similar to his schtick back then.
For the Christopher Walken fan
Weapon of Choice
Well damnation, that didn’t work try this link instead
Beard, you namedropper you. I’ll try that link when I’m back in the land of high speed internet.