Click
Director: Frank Coraci (The Waterboy, The Wedding Singer)
Writers: Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe
Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Mark O'Keefe, Adam Sandler, Steve Koren, Jack Giarraputo
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsdale, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff, Henry Winkler
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running time: 107 min
read my spoiler disclaimer

     Trying to be two movies at once is a hard deal to sell to me. Click, along with many other films that try, was among those not able to quite seal the deal.

      Adam Sandler plays Michael, a regular guy with a gorgeous wife (Beckinsdale) and two fabulous kids. Unfortunately his job is taking over his life and he has less and less time for his family, which of course doesn't go over well with his wife. After storming out of the house after an argument one evening, Michael finds himself in a "Bed, Bath & Beyond" store in search of a universal remote to make his life simpler. Enter Christopher Walken, who plays a quirky, scientist type named Morty, who works in the back. Morty gives Sandler the universal remote to control not only his TV and DVD player, but also controls his life. He is able to pause life, slow things down, even skip full chapters. In one scene, he changes the color of things to make them look a bit better. Anything you can do with a remote, he does it with his life.

      All of these things, of course, bring about some pretty hilarious situations and happenings with Sandler holding the clicker. I'm sure you can imagine. The story takes an abrupt turn after about 45 minutes to an hour when things really start to go wrong for Michael and he begins to learn skipping things isn't always the best way to spend a lifetime.

      Here's where the story took a slight turn for the worst for me. Not that it was really all that bad, it was just a complete 180 degree turn from where we were originally heading. Fart jokes and slow motion boobs turned into horribly, gut-wrenching tragedies one after another for Michael. It was actually kind of hard to watch. Especially when just 20 minutes ago, he was punching his boss in the face while life was paused. I wanted a comedy, not "It's a Wonderful Life."

      But still, like I said, it wasn't bad. It actually turned into a really good story complete with a very important life lesson. A lesson I personally took to heart; which is rare because I usually blow off life lessons in movies. This one actually had some emotional punch to it and don't be surprised to see some softer hearts in the audience secretly reaching to dry their eyes once in a while.

      Sandler plays his usual funny character in the beginning very well. Nothing we haven't seen before in films such as Big Daddy or Happy Gilmore. Once the film turns to it's serious side, Sandler is clearly not Oscar material. But he gets his point across well, and veterans Walken and Winkler are there to help him along. Watch for Kate Beckinsdale in every scene. She is... well, Kate Beckinsdale; so look for her. Or look at her.

      If you don't mind being jerked from one mood to the next, you may find that you really enjoy Click. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, it just wasn't what I was expecting based on the marketing. It was much more of a serious film than I was in the mood for on a week night. I was hoping for a few more laughs. Still, it was enjoyable and heart warming. Most of the people in the theater seemed to have a smile on their face as they got up from their seats. When the DVD hits shelves, it might not be the worst movie to rent; just don't expect the fun romp the trailers lead you to believe it is.

drewbacca@moviepatron.com