Someone needs to have a serious talk with Adam Sandler and tell him his days as a leading comedian are over. I can’t tell you the last movie in over ten years starring Sandler I liked, let alone enjoyed. His latest, That’s My Boy, might be the biggest, more reprehensible piece of garbage to ever get a theatrical release. Thousands of good movies are relegated to DVD and obscurity because of a lack of budget or means whereas Sandler is allowed to disgrace theaters and audiences once a year with unfunny dreck. There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this movie whatsoever so what the hell do I review?
After seducing his teacher at the age of twelve and finding instant fan, Donny Berger (Adam Sandler) is in trouble with the IRS. His only hope is to go to his estranged son Todd (Andy Samberg), the product of Donny’s illicit affair, and trick him into a reunion special filmed for television. Todd, now a successful hedge fund manager, is about to be married and wants nothing to do with Donny. As the two start to bond, they come to learn things about themselves….I guess.
I’d normally write something good but there is absolutely no way I’m giving this film any praise. Everything in this movie is bloated, disgusting, and over-the-top! Not even the runtime gives the audience a respite as the film clocks in at a few minutes shy of two hours. Yes, That’s My Boy felt the need to be an almost two-hour movie! What is that two hours you ask? A hilarious running joke about pedophilia, jokes about incest, jokes about penises being waved in someone’s face, bodily fluids, and enough grandma sex to sate anyone (please note the sarcasm). I left the theater more offended than entertained. I seemed to recall a similar incident I had with the Three Stooges making a joke about Nazi doctors and nuns but what about pedophilia is funny? I understand the gag about a young boy seducing a hot teacher but much like a lot of Sandler’s shtick it’s about five years too late. The joke is old, it’s tired, and with our current views on pedophilia, it’s not funny (although it never was to begin with, I’m saying it’s no longer a go-to source of comedy).
If the humor’s bad then what about the story? The story is thin. Sandler plays a variation of his character from Little Nicky and Billy Madison so hopefully you enjoy Sandler’s baby talk gibberish, another way Sandler is now irrelevant. When Sandler talked like an idiot in his 20’s that was funny but Sandler trying to do it while pushing 50, it just shows how out of touch he is. Does he assume 2012 teens are still interested in his same jokes from the 90s? He must because he includes Vanilla Ice as a supporting character. Teens, the demographic you’re going for, don’t even know who Ice is so the joke is pointless. They could simply go back and watch his older films and have a better time. The rest of the cast seems to be either trying or just bored. Samberg spends a great deal of time making a pained expression and I was unaware if that was a character thing, or if he knew his career was skidding to a halt. Other big names include Susan Sarandon and James Caan who I’m only assuming killed somebody and Sandler has the evidence for them to appear this.
I have absolutely nothing left to say about this film. I guess I could recommend it if you enjoy humor in poor taste, or have loved the last three Adam Sandler movies that have come out. If you loved Jack and Jill you’re in for a ball!
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