BEDTIME STORIES
US, 2008, 96 minutes, Colour.
Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Courtney Cox, Richard Griffiths, Jonathan Price, Lucy Lawless.
Directed by Adam Shankman.
The word that some reviewers use to describe this kind of off-beat comedy which, if you are in the mood and get caught up in it, is 'a hoot'. It is not for the curmudgeonly or those who would not be seen dead (let alone alive) in a multiplex.
Adam Sandler's comedy is an acquired taste – and, for the last thirteen years or so, many audiences have been happy to acquire it. The comedies are often hit and miss but that is the nature of popular comedy. Try a gag and move on to the next one.
Sandler himself has become somewhat more sympathetic, or plays more sympathetic roles than he did in his earlier 'airhead' comedies. He is now over 40 and has children. Which obviously attracted him to this story where he can play zany father-figure and still be the clown.
Speaking of attraction, he has attracted quite a large cast of actors rather than comedians, especially from the UK and Australia. The film opens with Jonathan Pryce confiding in the audience about his son, Skeeter, to whom he loves to tell bedtime stories. He manages a hotel, or, rather, he does his best which, business-wise, is not good enough. And the buyer, the rotundly eccentric Richard Griffiths, does not honour his promise to make Skeeter a manager when he grows up. Instead, he is the local handyman.
His rival for a try at persuading the owner to give him the job is the supremely arrogant, without-a-moment-of-self-doubt, ambitious Guy Pearce, obviously enjoying himself playing a hiss the villain prig. He is aided and abetted by Lucy Lawless as the hotel receptionist. Skeeter, on the other hand is aided and abetted by Russell Brand, a hotel waiter, doing his shtick of obnoxious behaviour and amusingly literate talk. And there is the boss's Paris Hilton-like daughter, flirtatious and seemingly the princess of the piece (Australian Teresa Palmer). But, of course, she isn't.
Oh, the plot and the hoot content. When Skeeter's sister, Courtney Cox, has to travel away for a job interview, Skeeter has to look after her little children who have been brought up environmentally correctly. Skeeter takes babystitting in turns with his sister's best friend, Keri Russell. Needless to say, the kids are introduced to burgers and fries, television and all that they should not eat or do. They also possess a scene-stealing guinea pig called Bugsy because of his large, gazing eyes (the guinea pig is real but his eyes are special effects!).
When Skeeter tells the kids bedtime stories, and they intervene with plot details, the stories are variations of Skeeters' struggles with this rival and, the best part, is that they come alive: in medieval times, in the wild west, in ancient Greece and in space, parodying all those kinds of films, with all the cast included in the story to amusing effect. Then, they have a twist fulfilment in real life.
Sandler is genial. His friend Rob Schneider makes some funny appearances as he usually does in Sandler's films. The romance works out. The hotel is renovated (though that is too stylish a word). The villains get their comeuppance but more nicely than not. A critic walking out of the cinema said that it was his worst film of the year. Objectively, he was quite wrong!
1.Adam Sandler comedies, the jokes, the characters, this film as family-friendly?
2.The introduction, Skeeter’s father, a good man, genial, running the hotel, love for his son, hopes, the guests, his inability with money, telling his son stories? The stories coming to life? Skeeter inheriting his father’s skill with stories?
3.Mr Nottingham and his takeover, the leering type, his promise to Skeeter’s father, the father’s death? Skeeter growing up, Adam Sandler’s style? Doing odd jobs, maintenance, relationship with the customers, their demands? Mr Nottingham and his television, Mr Nottingham? and his being fastidious, health conscious and germ conscious? His rival and his manner, the ‘hiss the villain’ type?
4.Skeeter as a personality, his relationship with his sister, her political correctness, her children, his mistaking the names for the boy and the girl, bringing the gifts? The school closing? His sister a school principal, her going interstate for the interview, wanting to leave the children with him, Jill and her help? Skeeter and his having to cope?
5.Mr Nottingham, in himself, Richard Griffiths’ appearance and style, manner of speaking? Ambitions for the hotel? Expanding? The school property and its closure? His relationship with the daughter, her being spoilt, his prospective son-in-law, the plans for the new manager? The daughter and her Paris Hilton style and manner?
6.The manager, as a villain, his treatment of people, arrogant, tasting the food, his ambitions, his flirtation with the woman at Reception? The challenge for the job?
7.The children, their upbringing, their lack of experience of hamburgers etc? Their friendship with Jill? Wary of Skeeter, his beginning to tell the stories, their listening, entering into them, altering the stories?
8.The stories coming to life: the characters being in all of them, each character representing real life? The real-life parallels? The mediaeval story, the Greek story and the chariot race, the western and the rescue, the space adventure?
9.The parallels with Skeeter’s life, his rivalry, with Jill? The elements entering into his real life – the gumballs and the rain, the paparazzi with Mr Nottingham’s? daughter…? The children and their influence on the stories?
10.The children, going to school, the outing, going to the hotel, enjoying the hotel, his sister’s return, her motives for leaving the children with Skeeter, expanding their horizons?
11.Jill, her studies, the clashes with Skeeter, looking after the kids, the change of heart, going out with Skeeter, liking him, her different roles in the stories? Heroine and romance?
12.The plan, the presentation, the rival and his drama with the Hollywood musicals? The response?
13.Skeeter, his voice and tongue(, his speech, everybody listening, wanting a hotel for families and the family experience?
14.Skeeter's success, getting the job? The information about the school, reporting Skeeter to the board? Jill turning against him?
15.The town council, the scene with the dinner, the women from schooldays and their memories, his going to the supervisor, his friend the supervisor, her decision against Mr Nottingham?
16.The new hotel, nice for families, the receptionist and the rival being the servants?
17.A blend of comedy, fantasy – and Americana messages?
