A very good movie - for parents

Rating: 10/10 (29 April 2012)

It's well understandable that the younger people commenting here might dislike the movie. Expecting a full-fledged Sandler-Comedy but getting something that turns out to be more of a drama than a comedy - yet even things you might laugh about earlier in the movie, might turn out completely different when thought about again. E.g. Hasselhoff who appears so hilarious when exiting the business-world, was actually doing the only right thing (although a bit drastic).
As a father in my 40ies with two kids, the curve of my career slowly flattening out and a minor burn-out behind me, I'm almost exactly in the same position as Michael (Sandler) at the beginning of the movie: trying to please everybody (job + private life) except myself and over-stretching myself by trying to be a good employee as well as a good husband and father. So statements like "It's just every choice I make, every thing I do, I disappoint somebody" or "I'm not out drinking, gambling or hitting on chicks! I'm working my ass of so my family can have a better live than I ever dreamed of when I was a kid" are more than familiar - resignation hovering in the air.
As others already stated, I'm usually offended too by the dumbed-down comedy which Sandler represents all to well. And yes, some of these so called jokes would have better been left out (the humping dog, the farting). But if you manage to ignore these 2-3 glitches, the movie so clearly shows you the two possibilities you have to choose between all your life: either your career or your life. It doesn't need to be family. It's important that you make the choice consciously without being pushed by what's conceived "normal" in our modern world. The movie does it in a simple but effective way - it's not going very deep in the philosophical aspects, that's true. But for me it was a very efficient mix to shake me up and make me think about how I want to proceed with my life.
Talking about slapstick comedy in this movie: Although there are 2-3 bad ones, there are also very well used ones. E.g. at the beginning when Michael explains to his wife that the camping weekend won't take place and he tries to watch a documentary about Asian architecture, he uses the wrong remote and makes a helicopter fly into his face. What appears silly and dumb is exactly what happens in reality and what makes you nearly flip in such situations. So already there the drama begins and a very well used slapstick emphasizes the tragedy.
So, although we had seen this theme being covered in other movies (btw: which topic was not covered yet in some other movie?) and some minor parts should better be cut, I'd highly recommend this movie to all (parents) who are torn between the work and private life - and especially those who don't realize it yet ;) I think it's because of its weightlessness that the movie gets through. At first you might sympathize with the idea of having such a remote control to skip all the noise, the stress and painful duties that come along with family life. But the movie also makes you realize how much you would be or are already are missing.