JACK AND JILL

US, 2011, 91 minutes, Colour.
Adam Sandler, Al Pacino, Katie Holmes, David Spade, Nick Swardson, Allen Covert, Dana Carvey.
Cameos: Regis Philbin, Dan Patrick, Shaquille O’ Neal, Drew Carey, John Mc Enroe, Christie Brinkley, Bill Romanowski, Bruce Jenner, Johnny Depp, Rob Schneider.
Directed by Dennis Dugan.

Adam Sandler seems to be acting in two films a year. After Just Go with It, earlier in 2011, he is back in Jack and Jill and, of course as both Jack and Jill. There are two more scheduled for 2012 release.

Adam Sandler comedies seem to appeal to a wide audience, but not to critics. This film further antagonises critics by starring Al Pacino who they think has no right to be appearing in such a film. He himself seems to be enjoying being in a comedy as a comic variation on himself. Then to make critical matters worse, who should turn up for a cameo with Sandler and Pacino but Johnny Depp? What is the world coming to? One radio critic (who didn’t sound as if she had actually seen the film) lamented about Pacino with a an elongated plaintiff, ‘Why?’.

The quick answer is why not! Can’t Al Pacino and Johnny Depp let their hair down?

So, this is a typical Adam Sandler comedy with a touch of the raucous, directed by Dennis Dugan who has directed so many Sandler films. And it offers the opportunity for Sandler to do a drag role in the Mrs Doubtfire vain. Well, that is not quite correct. Jill is quite an annoying character for most of the film, especially annoying her twin brother, Jack. This does, by the way, offer Sandler a chance to act as the ‘straight man’ foil, Jack, to the more flamboyant Jill.

There is a lot of slapstick (Jill collapsing a pony, Jill KO’d on The Price is Right) and Jill is a faux pas personified. We laugh at her. Gradually, we laugh with her. Finally, especially after a morale-boosting speech by Pacino to Jack impersonating Jill, we feel a bit more sympathetic to her.

This is an American comedy so it usually less than subtle and Jill is often gratingly loud.

However, there is quite some comedy in Al Pacino’s presence, wanted for an ad for Dunkin Donuts and their Dunkacino (which does happen at the end, our chance to hear Al Pacino rap and see him dance), having a breakdown on stage because of a mobile phone call during a performance of Richard III, then taking a long call himself during a later performance.

Interestingly, as he gets older, Adam Sandler is emphasising his Jewish background more strongly, very evident in this film.

Of course, it’s always a matter of sensibilities and taste, but this one seems a more than reasonable and funny Sandler comedy – for his fans.

1. The appeal of Adam Sandler? Two for the price of one? His comic abilities? Characters?

2. The Los Angeles setting, the world of advertising, wealthy homes? The contrast with New York? The cruise and Spain?

3. The musical score, the songs, You’ve Got Me, Babe, The Man of La Mancha, the final rap song?

4. Jack and Jill, expectations? Adam Sandler playing Jack as the straight man to the comic Jill?

5. The introduction with the groups of twins, their talking, love, affection, clashes? The end and the return of the twins? The finale?

6. Jack’s family, Erin, Sofia, Gary? As a family? Gary as Indian, adopted, the explanations, his idiosyncrasies? The ordinariness as well as the idiosyncrasies? Jack and his work, the need for cash, wanting Al Pacino for Dunkin’ Donuts advertisements? The staff, the interactions, the comments on Jill – prejudicial?

7. The Jewish jokes, the freaks jokes, the Jewish emphasis, celebrating of Hanukkah? Adam Sandler promoting the Jewish background? And the fact that he was Jewish and he could make the jokes?

8. Jill, the background, twins, the scenes of childhood, playing together? Arrival at the airport, the early hour, her cases, with Poopsie? Poopsie as a parrot, parroting her words? The airport? Her going to sleep. The stain on the bed, meeting the family? The Thanksgiving dinner? The homeless man, his being welcomed by the family, eating the meal, his being uncomfortable with the attacks, his leaving, being discovered later in the fields? Erin’s parents and their coping? Jill and her continued faux pas, blunt?

9. Jill as an irritating character, her incessant talk? Jack trying to get rid of her, her reactions? Her size, manner of speaking, voice, clothes? Loneliness? Memories of their mother? Her wanting to go out, riding the pony and its collapsing? The Price is Right and her being knocked out? The meeting with Felipe, the jokes? The family outing, Felipe’s grandmother and the slapstick comedy, playing soccer? Her being happy with the outing?

10. Going to the baseball, Al Pacino and his being there, his attraction towards Jill? The food, the flirting, Jill resisting? The celebration of her birthday – and her gatecrashing the office, only one cake, her being put out? Al Pacino providing her with a cake? The phone call, the punching of the doorman? Her hopes? Wanting twin time with Jack? The upset about the ad? Sharing memories of the Bronx with Al Pacino?

11. Jack, his exasperation, harshness towards Jill, language, chasing her out into the woods, the apologies, the baseball, with Al Pacino, Johnny Depp? The plans? His trying to get rid of Jill for the celebrations, Hanukkah? The ad, the change of heart, inviting her to the cruise, the phone call, his pretending to be Jill, with Al Pacino, Al Pacino telling him the truth about his attitudes towards Jill? His change, leaving the advertisement?

12. New York, the bar, the friends and their taunts about Jill, the fight? Jack and the family arriving, taking Jill to meet Felipe, happy reunion?

13. Erin, as a character, conversion to Judaism, mother, kind towards Jill? The kids? Sofia and her shrewdness? Gary and his bluntness?

14. Al Pacino in the film, enjoying himself, his reputation, the Dunkin’ Donuts ad, his performance as Richard III, the mobile phone, his breakdown and attacking the audience? At the baseball, with Johnny Depp? Attraction towards Jill, the visits, the cake, the mobile call? The end, his coming as Don Quixote, singing An Impossible Dream? The finale with the ad, his rap song and dance? The humour of his telling Jack that this was never to be seen by anyone?

15. The range of celebrities and their cameos, especially Johnny Depp, Drew Carey and The Price is Right? Shaquille O’Neal? and the interview?

16. Audience attitudes towards Jill, with Jack’s ridicule, laughing at her, then laughing with her, the emotional response, being fair to Jill? How well did this work as an Adam Sandler comedy?