A bit of profundity mixed in with the typical Sandler formula

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2006)

I must confess - right from the get go, I expected "Click" to be a terrible, poorly conceived mess, barely worth seeing at all. The premise (a man receives a universal remote control to control all aspects of his life) sounded ridiculous and not even possibly coherent. Nonetheless, I went to see Click anyway, in the hopes that the always dependable Christopher Walken and star Adam Sandler might be able to raise the odd laugh.
Needless to say, Click is far better than initial impressions might allude to, and while for the most part it is a comedy and a very successful one, there is a surprising amount of profundity mixed in, touching on themes such as lifestyles and priorities; what is really important for us. While the movie does follow the typical Sandler comedy formula of comedic beginning, sad climax and emotional, life lesson bearing happy ending, it is surprising how well director Frank Coraci manages to handle the differing tones of the movie. Unlike last year's excellent summer comedy Wedding Crashers, the more dramatic upsetting "life lesson" segment of the story in Click does not contrast quite as evidently, it blends more seamlessly with the rest of the picture rather than an abrupt change in tone.
That being said, there are complaints which come to mind, the most evident being that the more profound themes explored in the movie are only scratched upon, when they could have been developed a bit deeper to make for a more compelling story. It's also true that the movie relies on typical goofball comedy schticks such as fart and dog humping jokes, or Sandler in a fat suit perhaps more than was quite necessary, the child actors get quite annoying at times (though unbelievably cute at others) and the main premise for comedy being Sandler's continuous dumbfounded reactions to his world changing around him as his life is fast forwarded ("Whoa mom, you're REALLY old!") get quite tiresome and very repetitive after a while, but again, the material is handled much better than would be expected.
It's true that in different hands the movie might have crumbled, but with Adam Sandler in the lead, Click becomes a roaring success. Sandler is the pinnacle of both moods of the story, the light comedy and more serious drama, and manages to pull off both with typical aplomb, showing depth and skill rarely demonstrated before. Christopher Walken of course steals the movie with his increasingly unexpected and hilariously oddball appearances as Morty, the mad scientist style proprietor of the universal remote. There are also welcome supporting performances from Kate Beckinsale as Sandler's character's wife, managing to give a strong performance despite a horribly written character with next to no depth whatsoever. It's also wonderful to see former Fonzi actor Henry Winkler, giving a charming performance as Sandler's father, and the voice of TV's Marge Simpson, Julie Kavner as Sandler's mother. Sean Astin also has a small supporting role, being mainly the brunt of jokes directed towards his character wearing a speedo, but a noticeable presence nonetheless.
All in all, be prepared to be taken by surprise by Click - it boasts far superior storytelling than one might be lead to expect, and particularly impressive dramatic acting from star Adam Sandler near the end. Click may not be the most entirely mature and insightful film you've ever seen, but it sure manages to do so far better than one would expect. All in all, an ideal summer movie - worth seeing!
-7/10