ADAM & DREW RETURN IN BLENDED

year: 2014

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to an Adam Sandler movie, up rears BLENDED, a romantic comedy crossed between THE BRADY BUNCH and just about any other throwaway “Happy Madison” production from the last decade…

rating: *

And to think the popular teamup of Sandler and Drew Barrymore, who made the ‘80s generation cheerfully nostalgic with THE WEDDING SINGER followed by the sweet and sappy 50 FIRST DATES, would be part of a venture where their cozy chemistry was not only the least important aspect of the story, but is hardly recognizable past the horrendous side characters including each of their three children… his girls, her boys… and especially the tourists in Africa, all taking part in a “Blended” vacation where an eclectic assortment of couples experience a brand new honeymoon… The catch here is both Adam and Drew's families are using the same fake name to get a free trip, becoming a pseudo clan... And of course Cupid lurks around every corner. 

Former SNL alumni Kevin Nealon's role, part of a March/November relationship with an airhead blonde, is almost as unfunny as the lounge band of African singers who, providing a zany Greek chorus, brings BLENDED to an embarrassingly awful (and to some, even racist) level, possibly even surpassing JACK AND JILL in the cringe factor.

As dumb as it gets

A good half hour before the trip, we learn about our leads… Barrymore is a divorced and neurotic “closet organizer” who, after a reluctant blind date with Sandler at Hooters, tries her best with equally frantic sons while Sandler, a widower, is dealing with his own problems, especially an athletic oldest daughter mistaken for a boy despite resembling a gorgeous magazine model. 

The only time Sander and Barrymore have chemistry is when all the distractions are gone: herein the chick flick audience will get what they paid for. But not a minute goes by without some kind of awkward intrusion by cast members seeming like GONG SHOW contestants that never get gonged...

Perhaps the once mighty Sandler considers himself Teflon to bad comedy, and the last few years he’s just daring the awful jokes – some which seem intentionally futile – to bring his faithful audience down. Not even the signature "baby talk" sweetness, more forced and sappy than ever, works like it did in his leaner youth. And while past films had special guest stars playing themselves, ranging from Bob Barker to Al Pacino to Vanilla Ice, the owner of Dick's Sporting Goods makes an appearance... Talk about obscure!

No matter how you slice it, fans of THE WEDDING SINGER will most likely sing the blues along with the latter 50 FIRST DATES crowd. And when BLENDED finally ends, a cutesy closing credit singalong provides nails in an already sealed coffin, so get out while you can!