Fun and amiable, not ingenious

Rating: 6/10 (29 August 2008)

Essentially silly, would be send-up of 1985 (or that era) is fortunately not taken seriously by anyone involved. Not really all that well done as a satire or a romantic comedy, "The Wedding Singer" does benefit from an amiable cast.
I have never been a huge Adam Sandler fan, yet he has gone some way here to winning me over with a goofy, awkward turn as "The Wedding Singer" whose life is ruined when he is left standing at the altar. Drew Barrymore is "Julia", the sweet girl-next-door who wins Robbie's heart and gives him something to live for. This is the sort of role Drew is perfect for, and it's a shame we don't see her like this more often. The support cast have been cleverly typecast.
The real draw card is the soundtrack, featuring many lost classics from the mid-80's, like "99 Luftballons", "Der Kommisar" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me". I would sure love a copy for my CD collection.
Again, with almost unlimited opportunities, "The Wedding Singer" doesn't capitalise nearly enough in poking fun at this decade. It is sure, however, to bring back some great memories for those aged twenty-three to thirty-three.
Sunday, May 17, 1998 - Hoyts Croydon