Shawn's Bedtime Stories Review

2008 Movie #162 - Bedtime Stories

I was pretty damn ready to hate this one. The trailers made it look pretty bad and the reviews for it certainly aren't great. In the end, I didn't hate it. In fact I kind of liked it. Only kind of though, I still thought there were a lot of problems with it.

My first problem is with Sandler himself. I like Sandler, despite some of his recent film choices. He's not bad here and it's kind of neat to see him doing a kid's movie, but he seems to be trying way too fucking hard. He uses his traditional goofy voice he uses in most of his movies but it's way too overdone here. I can't help but wonder how much of the dialogue was improvised by him. This could have been a very different movie with someone else in the lead. Anyway, he's ok in it but it reminded me a bit of Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty where you just wanted to tell him "ok shhhhhhhhhh!!"

The rest of the cast is good. Always great to see Keri Russell in a movie since she always looks fantastic. The rich daughter character was extemely attractive and kudos to the writers for not making her a complete airhead bitch either. It would have been the easy route so at least they chose not to go on it. It's weird to see Russel Brand in a family movie but he does alright here. It's also a little weird that Courtenay Cox is playing Sandler's sister here after playing his wife in Longest Yard but hey, whatever.

Another thing that bugged me is the universe in which this movie takes place. I understand the idea of bedtime stories becoming true is pretty god damn out there in the first place, but I assumed aside from that the movie was supposed to take place in some sort of reality. Then the cartoon eyed guinea pig shows up and throws that idea right out the fuckign window. I hated that thing. Every time it showed him having a cartoony reaction to something I wanted to step on it. Who the fuck thought of that? And why did so many jokes center on it?! There were at least 90..at least! Also stop having dogs react to things!! It's not funny! AAAAAAAA!!!

To continue on the same idea, there is a scene at the end on a motorcycle that is so fucking out there and ridiculous I couldn't believe it. By this point there is no WAY this movie can be grounded in reality at all. ...Although I guess the whole movie is supposed to be like one big bedtime story huh? Well shit. Meh...either way that hamster was not fucking funny!!

In the end, it's an ok kid's flick. It's a feel good movie and pretty fitting for the holidays...unlike that Seven Pounds. Which by the way is now being marketed in the commercials as a "feel good holiday gift for the whole family." Did the commercial not see the actual movie? Cuz it should check it out before it says shit like that. As for Bedtime Stories...

** 1/2 / 5