I Pronounce you Chuck and Larry - quick review

Patrick Sun · 07-21-2007, 07:45 PM

It's a comedy starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James, and the film needs somewhat of an open mind w/r/t the domestic partnerships and gay marriages issue on the part of the viewer. Will you enjoy this film if you adamantly oppose such concepts, hard to tell, although the film does have a nice message of expanding the character of love shared between people regardless of gender.

Is the film funny? I had a good time laughing at most of the comedic situations and most of it is derived from Chuck and Larry's somewhat hastily conceived domestic partnership. Larry is a widow with 2 children and convinces his best friend Chuck to pretend to be his domestic partner so that Chuck could handle the benefits/pension/finances for Larry's kids if Larry were to meet an early demise on the job since both Larry and Chuck are firefighters. The script by Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor and Barry Fanaro doesn't pander to solely cheap laughs, has good pacing, but does dig deeper into the acceptance issue of marriage between two people, regardless of their gender, but do so by using comedy, irony and good old fashion role reversal to get the characters to sympathize with obstacles that face domestic partnerships and gay marriages currently.

I give it 2.5 stars or a grade of C+.

Alf S · 07-21-2007, 08:11 PM

A buddy of mine and I saw this last night and we had high hope.

Sadly we were both let down.

The movie had minimal laughs, what jokes were there seem forced and awkwardly delivered.

The attempts to add in some "ahhh how sweet" moments with the family etc came across flat and out of place.

The ONLY thing that made me feel like I didn't completly waste my moeny was the scene of Jessica in her bra and panties...man oh man does that girl have a tight bod!!!

Overall I'd say we both gave this film two thumbs down.

I wouldn't bother paying to go to the theater...at least wait for an el cheapo rental.

Inspector Hammer! · 07-22-2007, 05:01 AM

It was your typical Adam Sandler/Dennis Dugan comedy that featured all the usuals and so it brought it's fair share of chuckles and like Patrick said it's got a nice message about acceptence of others.

As a big fan of Kevin James I was looking foreward to seeing how he and Adam would work together and they make a good team, he played his usual variation on the goofy hefty everyman that he mastered on The King of Queens, it's something he does well and he always comes off likable.

Sandler was, well...Sandler.

But like Alf said, if your bored by the film the one saving grace is Jessica Biel, that woman is a freakin' goddess! The scenes where she had Sandler feel her up and then later give her a foot, and ear (you have to see it) massage drove me up a wall so much that I almost ripped the arms off my seat lol.

Jordan_E · 07-22-2007, 03:48 PM

Terrible movie.
It was like someone came in after the initial script was written and punched up the "comedy." The wife loved it though.

Rhoq · 07-22-2007, 09:20 PM

Just got back from seeing "Chuck & Larry" and I've got to say that's it was much funnier than I expected and easily the funniest film I have seen in a theater since The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Ving Rhames' performance steals this movie!

Obviously everyone seems to be torn on this one. If you're easily offended by stereotypes and gay jokes, you will probably not enjoy it - though as Patrick pointed out there is a nice message of "acceptance" buried underneath it all.

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Colin Jacobson · 07-23-2007, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhoq

Obviously everyone seems to be torn on this one. If you're easily offended by stereotypes and gay jokes, you will probably not enjoy it - though as Patrick pointed out there is a nice message of "acceptance" buried underneath it all.

In other words, the "Have Your Cake and Eat It Too" message. Let's throw out as many homophobic bits as possible for 90 minutes as long as we "redeem" it with an uplifting message at the end!

Joe Karlosi · 07-23-2007, 04:52 AM

All the griping about "homphobic stereotypes" I've read in the newspapers and magazines (like in ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY) has made me want to check this movie out for myself, just to see what all the hoopla is about. Besides which, I enjoy Kevin James in THE KING OF QUEENS. But what really gets me going every time is when there are complaints about movies poking fun at stereotypes and things, and yet it's perfectly fine to have something like WHITE CHICKS. Sorry, I just think it's a double standard.

Colin Jacobson · 07-23-2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Karlosi

But what really gets me going every time is when there are complaints about movies poking fun at stereotypes and things, and yet it's perfectly fine to have something like WHITE CHICKS. Sorry, I just think it's a double standard.

And you're completely correct. Imagine the uproar if two white male comedians did a movie in which they played black women - heads would explode from the anger!

Some of this makes sense due to historical/societal issues, but it remains a double standard at best and hypocritical at worst...

IanDP · 07-23-2007, 12:24 PM

Question: Why do they allow Adam Sandler to keep making movies?
Answer: Chuck and Larry opened #1 with $34.8 million.

I haven't seen it but I'll definitely rent it because I too, am a King of Queens fan. I really hope Kevin James can find better roles.
I'm not much of a Sandler fan, but I loved "50 First Dates (more so because of Barrymore)", and "Click" was a nice surprise also.

and to veer slightly off topic...
If Sandler must keep making movies with Rob Schneider, why can't Schneider play a real person for a change, and not a cartoon character?
A Sandler/Schneider buddy comedy might be funny since they should have good on screen chemistry.