Pushing Buttons.

Rating: Null/10 (23 June 2006)

An architect (Adam Sandler) with pressures aplenty from work and a general lack of time unwittingly solves his problem by getting a remote control that can literally control his universe. The remote is given by a mysterious man (Christopher Walken ala Christopher Lloyd in the "Back to the Future" series) and it comes equipped with all the features, but these features go way beyond just manipulating the boob tube. Immediately the device becomes a prevalent part of Sandler's life as he is able to fast forward through mundane parts of his life and also make potential difficult feats go by in a matter of seconds. But what happens when the great power gets abused and the device takes on a life of its own, making decisions to fast forward by itself as Sandler just becomes an unfortunate spectator in his own life? Amazingly impressive feature that markets itself as a typical summer comedy, but is that and so much more. More dramatic than comical, "Click" is a curious over-achiever that is best-described as "It's a Wonderful Life" or "A Christmas Carol" without the holiday season settings. Throughout Sandler is presented with choices and unfortunately he has to prioritize his life and of course the pressures of work (represented primarily by boss David Hasselhoff) sometimes overshadow the time that his family (wife Kate Beckinsale, their children and parents Henry Winkler and Julie Kavner) rightfully deserves. Director Frank Coraci (best known for light weight Sandler vehicles like "The Waterboy" and "The Wedding Singer") shows real growth as a filmmaker as he handles the deceptively heartfelt script with style and flair. Wonderfully clever, well-executed, entertaining and life-affirming, "Click" is one of the more pleasant cinematic surprises of recent memory. 4 stars out of 5.