Sandler spins his charm yet again

Rating: 7/10 (17 December 2006)

CAST: ADAM SANDLER; KATE BECKINSALE AND CHRISTOPHER WALKEN.
Adam Sandler is renowned for his irrepressible comedic genius. He possesses a rare talent consisting of an ensemble of slapstick buffoonery and egocentric satire. His formulaic comedies have spawned a generation of die-hard Sandler fans expecting nothing less than the pervasive wit and guile of Adam Sandler in full swing.
In Click, Sandler plays Michael Newman a workaholic trying desperately trying to make partner in a successful firm. His demanding boss is adequately portrayed by David Hasselhoff. Sandler tries frantically to please his superior, but his efforts largely go unnoticed. The result is continual work dissatisfaction and mounting pressure on his home life.
Sandler's wife is played by the exquisite Kate Beckinsale. To label her gorgeous would be doing her a grave injustice for she is the quintessential picture of beauty. She is the doting wife of an overworked architect and the attentive mother of two delightful children. The strain of her relationship with her husband is driving a wedge between them Â– that is until Sandler is gifted a universal remote.
This is no ordinary remote though: it controls the passage of time and allows for a thorough revision of the past and a rapid transition into the future. What it doesn't allow for are changes to deeds already committed. The angel of death, who hands Sandler the remote, cautions him that the device is non-returnable.
Naturally Sandler's curiosity is piqued and he begins toying with the quirky device. A series of humorous incidents ensue, but the comedy is hardly worth laughing at. The audiences remained largely quiet throughout the duration of the film, with the exception of the usual sexual innuendo and toilet humour which cracked a few smiles.
The film goes off the rails for a while but just when it starts losing the audience; it utilizes drama to great effect to reel the crowds back in. Sandler is surprisingly effective in his dramatic performance. It is a detraction from the norm but one which will leave you teary eyed and heartbroken, until the final ten minutes of the film. Christopher Walken is a spectacle to behold in this dramatic comedy.
This is a must-see Sandler film, not because the laughs come thick and fast, but because it is able to work on raw emotions so effectively. The concept of family and priorities are essential to the film and you are bound to be wiping the tears from your face in the last quarter.
Two-thumbs up!