The latest Sandler fun fest, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, about two manly firefighters pretending to be a married gay couple to reap the health benefits, appears to be in the traditional Sandler line of comedy. Lots of hijinks involving Sandler and Kevin James keeping up the sexual charade, and Jessica Biel gamely joining in as the requisite 'hot' love interest.
But what is it that marks Sandler’s appeal? In more dramatic material, is he really all that different? Here are a few of my best guesses, having seen most of the Sandler canon of cinema (except Sandler's turn as Dink the Clown, in Shakes the Clown).
He's the everyday Joe. While Sandler can be a lot (a lot) louder than your typical dorm room buddy, he still comes across as the loveable All-American man-boy. He's not too threatening to women, he's not too extraordinary to put off most dudes, and he has an affinity for 80s classic rock. He's someone you’d see rocking out at a Journey concert, and just as harmless.
He's not too serious. Even when he plays serious, and in Reign Over Me, as a 9/11 widower, he couldn't be more dramatically upright, the guy has a soft side. Again, it's balanced with those loudmouth tantrums which can be funny, scary or both, but you know that eventually, he'll crack a smile. Or at least he wants to.
What you see is what you get. There's no pretension to Mr. Sandler. He may appear in ambitious projects sometimes (e.g. James Brooks' Spanglish). But is Sandler himself really ironic? We would argue no. Billy Madison wears his REO Speedwagon shirt with pride.
So what do you think...dumb, childish, and too much of the frat boy? Or just a loyal pal from down the street who, if he wasn't earning millions making The Wedding Singer and Happy Gilmore, would be the guy coming over on Friday night to watch them? Let us know your stand on Sandler. Is the price right? Or is it wrong, Bob?
