Mr. Deeds (** 1/2)
review by Erin Rasmussen

How can you dislike an Adam Sandler movie? Wait, all right, so there was Waterboy and you didn't really see the point of Little Nicky...but if you're a true Adam Sandler fan, you found the humor in those movies and probably have them secretly stashed away in the back of your collection.

In this remake of "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" from 1936, the story revolves around Longfellow Deeds, a small town kinda guy that turns up as the only heir to hella-rich guy. In Mandrake Falls, Deeds runs a pizza parlor and attempts to write cheesy Hallmark cards on the side. (How else do you think he'll get the girl in the end?) He inevitably comes to big city because of his inheritance, a huge amount of stock from the dead Preston Blake's media conglomerate. Let the "small town boy in the big city" merriment ensue.

Or so it seems. With little, and almost forced slapstick, and more sappy sentiment than your typical Julia Roberts film, Mr. Deeds has to pry into your heart...and your funny bone. Breaking out the wrenches and crow bars, Sandler's usual cast of close friends is present and accounted for. Allen Covert as Marty, Peter Dante as Murph and of course, Steve Buscemi puts in a stellar performance as Crazy Eyes.

Also starring alongside Mr. Sandler as the damsel in distress/tabloid reporter in disguise, Pam Dawson/Babe Bennet, is Winona Ryder. Yeah, it's not her best role, but here's where the romantic comedy comes in. Not that I have anything against that particular genre, hence my love for Julia Roberts (yeah right). I mean, I think that it works for the romantic comedy sort of style it was obviously going for, but give me more John Turturro (who, by the way, was my personal favorite as Emilio) and I'll be a happy camper.

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