Hey guys, sorry for the little break there; life just gets in the way sometimes. But I'm back!
So, let's get started. It's a strange time in the film industry right now. It's the time when the Oscar jewels start to fade away and the traditional blockbuster films take in their fifteen minutes of fame on the screen. We, therefore, have to let go of our high expectations, coming down from the cloud nine of films and entering a more earthy, faulty tradition of blockbuster movies. And I have to say, it felt like quite the fall.
Just Go With It is a perfect example of a film that I hate to enjoy. If you were to look at it in comparison to the Oscar nominated films, it looks like a mediocre attempt at entertainment. However, most would not bother to compare it like this, because it's like comparing apples and oranges. Therefore, we have to completely forget how amazing movies can be and how creative they can become, in order to fairly critique this movie.
I'm going to give it a try, but I make no promises.
First and foremost, the plot of the film follows the life of a plastic surgeon named Danny (Adam Sandler) who wears a fake wedding ring in order to lure women into sleeping with him. When his magnificent plan goes awry - when he actually wants a relationship with one of the women - he convinces his assistant (Jennifer Aniston) to play his soon-to-be-ex-wife in order to keep up with the charade and to keep the girl. Little does he know the truth of his own feelings until he finally realizes who he really loves.
I think my main issue with this film was the unrealistic speed and acceptance of the events. It's similar to The Green Hornet, in that sense. If you're going to base your film in an "ordinary" world with "ordinary" people, reactions need to be somewhat believable, relatable and, most importantly, realistic. If I can't buy in to what you're trying to sell me, then you haven't done your job. Within the first fifteen minutes of the film, we get some of Danny's past, his present and his want for the future. He falls in love with the girl (Brooklyn Decker) over one night, lies to her in an instant and convinces his assistant to do these ridiculous things in the next instant. I just felt like there was not enough convincing.
I felt like Aniston's character was a women without a backbone, or strong sense of self. She was never really upset when the occasion called for her to be, she was never really frustrated when the occasion called for her to be, and she was never really in love when the occasion called for her to be. She was always happy-go-lucky and accepting of everything, even when it involved her children.
I want to be clear: this isn't a critique on her acting or how she played the role. It is rather, a critique on the writing and the direction. Aniston did her part, but the makers of this film didn't really think her character through. They didn't give her a lot to work with. She played an "on the surface" sort of character that had no depth. In fact, all the actors played their roles much the same. I don't know if this is a comedy genre sort of thing to do, or just a weakness of the film. I have seen hilarious comedies with much more whole characters then this one. I am lead to believe that the makers of this film were looking for a financial quick fix and didn't put much thought into anything. They just threw together an outrageous story one afternoon, picked the famous actors that would draw in an audience, and shot the scenes in a tropical location within a few months. No second thought, no consideration, just lure the audience in so that they can bring in some money.
That may be a harsh assessment, but there it is.
Now, to shift gears somewhat, the acting was fine. Adam Sandler was pretty funny as always (right in his comfort zone), Jennifer Aniston was better than usual (she felt more comfortable/ more natural in her acting), the kids played by Bailee Madison and Griffin Gluck were impressive for their ages. Nick Swardson's fake accent was extremely funny. I thought the comedy itself was just that: light and funny.
So, ultimately, I would say go out and enjoy this film for a light chuckle and a brief smile of content. If you're like me and have trouble enjoying films without properly formed characters, then I don't recommend it. However, if you don't mind - don't expect too much, just enjoy the show.
I give this film a 5.5/10 for retrieving a few chuckles, but not really making any impression on me.
