Movie Review: Click

by Alex Bentley

Say one thing for Adam Sandler: He’s very consistent. Save for the occasional dramatic effort (Punch-Drunk Love, Spanglish), when you see an Adam Sandler movie, you know what you’re gonna get. That the result is usually complete and utter trash is seemingly beside the point; audiences have been lapping his particular brand of idiocy for years.

Those who love that brand will likely be overjoyed with his latest movie, Click. Sandler has perfected the lovable schlub role through the years, and its latest incarnation comes in the form of Michael Newman, a workaholic architect with the perfect wife (Kate Beckinsale), two cute kids and an oversexed dog (don’t ask). All Michael wants to do is provide a great life for his family, but he’s rarely there when they need him most. An inability to conquer all the remotes in his house leads Michael to search for a universal remote. The search lands him at, of all places, Bed, Bath and Beyond (Attention: Product placement!), where the mysterious Morty (Christopher Walken) provides him with a universal remote that will solve all his problems. Michael soon discovers that not only will the remote control every electronic item in his house, but it also has the ability to mute his dog, fast forward through arguments and pause real life in order to, say, do disgusting things to his boss (David Hasselhoff).

As Spider-Man would say, though, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Michael ignores this responsibility, and soon, instead of zipping through mundane, everyday duties, he’s fast-forwarding through big chunks of time, causing him to miss major events in his own life. The concept is similar in nature to other more worthy films such as The Family Man and It’s a Wonderful Life (they all, of course, owe a debt of gratitude to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol). What all of those have that Click doesn’t is a palpable heart. One can tell the love that Michael has for his family, but it’s buried beneath the constant low-brow antics (the film starts off with a dog humping a stuffed duck and Michael insulting his 10-year-old neighbor, and never comes up for air). The story does elicit some emotion toward the end, but it’s not earned and thus feels manipulative.

This is especially disappointing given Sandler’s last similar effort, 50 First Dates. While that film had its own level of inanity, it was also grounded in a sweetness that Click never approaches. Instead, Sandler and director Frank Coraci apparently feel that meanness and inexplicable exploitation will be sufficient replacements. Michael’s ongoing feud with his 10-year-old neighbor quickly goes from slightly humorous to downright hateful (not a good change), while his office is filled with buxom, barely-dressed secretaries for no good reason. That Michael doesn’t blink an eye at this but states on multiple occasions on how his daughter should maintain her innocence speaks volumes about the quality of this film.

Sandler mainstay Rob Schneider makes an early appearance, and repeat offenders Henry Winkler and Sean Astin do their best in supporting roles. That Sandler managed to drag Beckinsale, Walken and Hasselfhoff (okay, not Hasselhoff) into this mess is a shame, though. I’m sure they were expecting better, and so should we. As I’ve stated many a time, quality filmmaking and mass appeal are not mutually exclusive. Sandler himself showed that with 50 First Dates. He just needs to realize that he can repeat that formula and still maintain his popularity.

Also check out Sandra Li's take on this film.