Blended

During a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel's talk show, Adam Sandler more or less admitted that most of his recent films are essentially paid vacations for himself.  Hey, I don't blame the guy.  I can see the appeal in shooting in exotic locations, and he's probably smart to exploit the opportunity.  But is it too much for me to ask that the film contain an actual plot and interesting characters, so it doesn't feel like I'm watching highly paid actors on vacation?

Blended doesn't try very hard to hide that it essentially is a holiday for everyone involved.  It's harmless I guess, but it's also very dumb and not that fun to watch.  The movie re-teams Sandler with Drew Barrymore, whom he worked very well with in two of his previous films - 1998's The Wedding Singer, and 2004's 50 First Dates.  They still show some on-screen charm here, but it is drowned out by the fact that they are barely playing characters here.  We basically are watching Sandler and Barrymore goofing around in Africa.  Their characters stay in a hotel suite that nobody could afford, unless you are a movie star like they are, tour picturesque landscapes and ride on ostriches.  Along the way, we are supposed to be delighted that they are growing closer together, and gradually fall in love.  I found myself not caring much, because the movie was too busy acting as a travelogue, rather than building a genuine relationship between these two characters.

When we first meet Jim (Sandler) and Lauren (Barrymore), they are on a disastrous blind date where it is obvious that they are completely wrong for each other.  The scene feels awkward, because it forces Jim to act like such a jerk for no reason.  Not only does he pick a Hooter's restaurant for their date spot, but he also drinks Lauren's beer when she's away in the bathroom.  We know that Jim is not really like this, since they're obviously going to get together by the end of the film.  Turns out Jim is a nice guy.  He even later on reveals a sentimental reason as to why he picked Hooter's as their date spot.  Why he didn't choose to tell Lauren this on the night of the date itself is total contrivance, as is the reason behind his sentimental attachment to the restaurant.  Anyway, Jim is a widower with three girls, and Lauren is divorced from a cheating slimeball (Joel McHale, who is funny on TV, but never seems to be funny in movies) and is raising two young boys.  The date ends badly, with the two vowing never to want to see each other again.

But fate (and the hokey screenplay they're stuck in) keeps on bringing them together.  Through circumstances too complicated to explain, both Jim and Lauren's families ultimately wind up taking the same luxury African vacation, staying at the same resort, and even the same room.  The parents resist any kind of connection with each other, but wouldn't you know it, they actually kind of like each other's kids.  Jim teaches one of Lauren's boys how to hit a baseball, while Lauren gives one of Jim's daughters a beauty makeover, and begins to bond with his youngest daughter.  Before long, Jim and Lauren are bonding with each other as well.  This should be sweet, but in all honesty, I was never able to detect much of a heart behind the film.  Romantic comedies depend solely on the notion that we want to see the two main characters get together.  But since Blended never gives a reason for Jim and Lauren to get together, other than they're lonely single parents, I found myself not really caring about the inevitable outcome.

That doesn't exactly mean that Sandler and Barrymore are bad in their roles, or have no chemistry together.  On the contrary, they're quite likable.  But nice is the only thing these two have going for each other this time around.  The past two movies they starred in together, they were able to create likable relationships that carried through the films.  Here, they seem to be going through the motions, trying desperately to rekindle their past cinematic spark, but not quite hitting the mark.  The jokes that they are given to work with do little to help.  They mostly revolve around pratfalls, or cute comments by the kids.  Speaking of the kids, one of the more curious running gags is that whenever Sandler's youngest daughter wants something, she suddenly talks in a very deep, evil-sounding voice.  Why, you may find yourself asking?  The movie never explains.  It's just a very odd moment that makes no sense.

Blended obviously wants us to fall in love with it and its characters, but it doesn't make the slightest effort to allow us to do so.  It seems to think it's enough to just coast by on the chemistry of the two stars who created a likable connection two times before.  Should Sandler and Barrymore team up again, I'm all for it.  Just spend less time picking an exotic location to shoot, and more time doctoring the script.

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