Blended
Once in a while there’s an actor who’s been on such a bad streak of films, that when his latest one comes out, if you plan to see to it, you may have to ask yourself if you are there to “take one for the team,” as the saying goes. In his early days Adam Sandler was a roll after leaving SNL where he had success in Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Anger Management, 50 First Dates, and Click. Then the hits faded away, and he started turning out unwatchable films like Jack and Jill, That’s My Boy, and Grown Ups 2 to name a few.
So in his newest film ‘Blended,’ his third pairing with Drew Barrymore after ‘Wedding Singer’ and ’50 First Dates,’ you wonder which Sandler will on show up. The funny guy from back in the day or the guy who needs to pay the bills and plays his role by remote. Well, in some ways, you get a bit of both. Although the screenplay doesn’t do either of them justice to showcase their best work, the chemistry still exists between the two leads, and for some, it may be enough to have an enjoyable evening’s entertainment.
Opening up at Hooters as the two are on a blind date, Lauren Reynolds (Barrymore) can’t believe that after getting back in the market that this would be the place sports salesman Jim Friedman (Sandler) would take her. This first date goes awful as anyone can imagine. It’s also a surprise that the one thing they have in common is that both are single parents. Jim is a widower with three daughters and Lauren is recently divorced with two boys.
Lauren’s day job is being a closet organizer and while speaking with her business partner Jen (Wendi McLendon-Covey), who has just broken up with her rich boyfriend, it’s suggested that Lauren take the boys to the Africa resort where Jen was to go with her BF. Ironically, Jen’s boyfriend also happens to be Jim’s boss and Jim is looking to take his girls to the same spot, going in his place. So, off we go to the Africa with both families having to share the same room and activities already planned out.
While Jim and Lauren reluctantly try to get along, their kids are having their own issues. Jim’s oldest kid can’t get any attention because Jim dresses in tomboy outfits. His middle daughter talks to her invisible mom, and the youngest one appears to be a normal at her age. Meanwhile, Lauren’s oldest son can’t see anyone wooing his mom and wants his dad (Joel McHale) back in the picture, which would please his brother, who desperately needs a father figure in his life. Adding to the fun and games in Africa is Terry Crew’s character as the lead singer of a harmony group. With quality time spent together, will Jim and Lauren find some magic?
Director Frank Coraci, who has worked with Sandler on The Waterboy and Click, manages to keep things simple. With a screenplay written by Ivan Menchell and Clare Sera and similar to Yours, Mine and Ours and Are We Ther Yet?, it’s not hard to sense where the film is headed and what the audience has to endure before we get to the third act. The subplots involving the kids are engaging if predictable. Terry Crews is certainly a scene-stealer in the film. If nothing else, he brings out the laughter without force. Sandler’s SNL co-star Kevin Nealon is also in the film as another guest at the resort, but he never makes you laugh. In the end, the third time between Sandler and Barrymore and their scenes are funny and nostalgic. The jokes are not as funny as their previous films, but as the years go on, it’s nice to see that these two can still provide a spark of romance that’s appealing in a family film.
