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I'm not a big fan of Adam Sandler. His jokes are cheap and some of his films border on vulgarity.
So, the only reason I watched his latest, Click, is because I liked its plot about owning a remote control that could control your universe. I mean, imagine being able to pause your boss in mid-sentence when he is screaming at you, being able to rewind to your first date, putting that stupid lady in the train on mute, or fast-forwarding the most boring lecture in college!
Click tells us the story of Michael Newman, an overworked architect trying to divide his time between family and work. David Hasslehoff plays his not-so-talented-but-manipulative boss Ammer, who makes Michael work harder with dreams of becoming an associate partner. Michael's wife Donna (Kate Beckinsale) is worried that he hardly spends time with his family, and is getting more difficult with every passing day.
One day, after trying to switch off the TV with one of his many remotes (and ending up opening the garage door instead), he decides to buy a universal remote control to replace all the others.
That's when the extraordinary remote falls into his hands, and a series of adventures begin.
Although allegedly similar to the animated series Adventures from the Book of Virtues, Click reminds us of Jim Carrey's Bruce Almighty. Both convey the story about perfectly normal but overstressed people who have forgotten the true meaning of life; about people who are desperately trying to be someone but, in doing so, have forgotten who they really are. Until something extraordinary happens to them.
But Bruce Almighty had a great Jim Carrey to hold it up. Click's Sandler is not half as funny, and much too loud at times.
Chirstopher Walken's 'Morty' (the shopkeeper who gives Sandler the remote) is not even a patch as the enigmatic 'God' played by Morgan Freeman. And all of this makes Click just a desperate wannabe film.
Of course, there are some scenes that are really funny. Like when Michael pauses his wife for the first time, the scenes with the mean boy next door, when Michael goes into the future, and when an RJ announces that Britney Spears is pregnant for the 23rd time and Michael Jackson is suing his clone for molestation! The scenes where he uses various features of the remote like 'colour adjustment' (gets a tan), 'aspect ratio' (blows up his boss) and language selection (eavesdrops on Japanese clients) are hilarious too.
Of the cast, Beckinsale and Walken are strictly okay. Jennifer Coolidge, who plays Donna's over-the-top thrice divorced friend, performs well. Supporting characters like Rob Schneider (as Arab prince Habibu) and Sean Austin (Samwise Gamgee of Lord Of The Rings fame) in a small role as Donna's husband also do well.
Don't miss Michael's son Benjamin -- the good looking actor is Jake Hoffman, Dustin Hoffman's son.
Sandler's Michael is likeable, seems genuine in the emotional scenes and funny when the situation calls for it. Eventually, Click is watchable but, frankly, it's better to wait for it to come on television.
Rediff Rating: 