Reviewed by Neil Davey
Stars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel, Dan Aykroyd,
Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Nicholas Turturro, Richard Chamberlain
Written by Barry Fanaro, Alexander Payne & Jim Ta
Produced by Adam Sandler & Tom Shadyac
Certification UK 12A | US PG-13
Runtime 105 minutes
Directed by Dennis Dugan
Remember when Adam Sandler was funny? No, he was. Truly he was. But you pretty much have to go back to The Weding Singer to remind yourself of the fact. You certainly won't get any clues from I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, a gay partnership comedy that wants to have its wedding cake and eat it.
Larry Levine (Kevin "King of Queens" James, who deserves so much better than this) and Chuck Valentine (Sandler) are Brooklyn firemen and lifelong friends. There's nothing they wouldn't do for each other, as Chuck reminds Larry when Larry saves his life. And as Larry reminds Chuck when he's in a fix. Larry's still struggling to get over the loss of his wife and missed his chance to transfer his pension rights to his kids. To do it now will require a new partner, someone Larry can trust to do right by the kids. Someonehe who, if it came to it, he can trust with his life... And thus Larry and Chuck go from best friends to best friends pretending to be gay.
And somewhere in here, there's a pointed and poignant comedy trying — admittedly not very hard — to get out. However, while the film occasionally lampoons attitudes to homosexuality to great effect, and makes some strong points about acceptance, it then undermines its positive points with assorted stereotypes. If you take the piss out of people who think gay men are all flaming queens into casual sex, showtunes, rubber and disco music you don't exactly boost your case by then portraying all gay men as flaming queens into casual sex, showtunes, rubber and disco music. And as for Rob Scheider's eyepopping cameo as a "comedy" Asian minister... best not to even talk about. Just pretend it never happened and maybe it'll slink back to the 70s where it belongs. Of course, as you might expect from such a schizophrenic film, Scheider's running gag about wedding rings is extremely funny. You will hate yourself for laughing but, after two hours of this hypocritical abject mess, you have to take your pleasures wherever you find them.
• Official UK Site
• I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry at IMDb
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