Drama aspects overpower the comedy

Rating: 7/10 (14 October 2007)

I went into Click expecting a solid but simple comedy. It ended up being much more. I didn't get as many laughs as from typical Sandler films, but it touched me much more emotionally. The plot basically involves a job-serious man named Michael Newman that discovers a "universal remote" that manipulates time, volume, and other things in real life. When using it, he becomes detached from his family in order to satisfy his personal tastes and lead a successful business life. The message is strong and powerful. By the end, its hard not to feel sympathetic towards Newman.
The acting was great and the dialog was decent. Adam Sandler does a great job as Michael Newman, conveying the emotional impact of the remote perfectly. The other acting was great as well. The special effects were good, but a little bit overdone when displaying the interface of the universal remote menu. The first half was basically the comedy part; I got a few laughs but nothing priceless. During the second half, things really come together to create an intriguing story line. It reminded me a lot of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, in which Newman plays the part of Scrooge and Morty (the remote vendor) is the ghost. Newman experiences his past, present, and future and sees the problems of his life. Despite this, the ending is very "feel-good".
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and content of Click. It is much different than Sandler's earlier films in a good way. One can't help being absorbed by the plot, despite numerous technical errors regarding the remote (which doesn't damage the story at all). Recommended for all viewers.