Title – Blended (2014)
Director – Frank Coraci (The Waterboy)
Cast – Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Bella Thorne, Kevin Nealon, Terry Crews
Plot – Despite a horrible first date and a strong hatred towards one another, single dad Jim (Sandler) and his family of girls find themselves on a holiday in Africa with single mom Lauren (Barrymore) and her two boys. Hijinks and romances ensue as the families are forced to be together more and more.
“I may have misread that situation”
Review by Eddie on 19/11/2014
We’ve all known it for quite a few years now but if you were under any illusions that Adam Sandler had given up the acting ghost and agreed to himself that he would do anything as long as the money is good and material lame and predictable, then you need to watch Blended. Blended is a movie so devoid of any reason for existing other than to prove a point (and give Sandler another paid holiday) that in the past was not fact, as much as Sandler has given in to the lowest common denominator, it’s safe to say now also that audiences have given up on him.
Blended was one of Sandler’s lowest grossing movies in years (barring his smaller “dramatic” movies like Reign Over Me and Punch Drunk Love) and it showcases that his once ardent following has tapered off, no doubt drained of seeing him play the exact same character over and over again and seemingly look to make sure he gets a nice vacation as the movie films. It’s actually in a weird way sad that Sandler has become who he has as an actor, the oddball charm he once possessed in unquestionably immature comedies like Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy ect ect is virtually non-existent now and even teaming up with his lucky charm Drew Barrymore and Wedding Singer director Frank Coraci does nothing to change this.
Where the Wedding Singer was a charming delight and 50 First Dates funny and heartfelt, Blended is cold, uninspired and forced from beginning to drawn out end. Barrymore has fine comedic timing and she has small moments to showcase that here but her chemistry that was so good between herself and Sandler previously is devoid of personality here. Jokes in Blended feel signposted throughout, the growing relationship between Barrymore’s Lauren and Sandler’s Jim takes forever to get going and once it does it feels rushed and uninteresting and all other many varied side plots the film throws into the mix are typical Sandler fluff from playing baseball, riding ostriches and Shaq cameos, nothing that happens here feels fresh, even the films adventure to Africa is just a total by-line – there is seemingly no point in even being there. Oh but I can see giraffes!
Too long, to lame, too predictable and well too Sandler, Blended is a dire comedy that is saved only by a few cheap laughs that are all types of random (rowdy Indian lady anyone?). Sandler has lost his mojo and he needs to get it back fast but with material similar to this so called romantic comedy, that mojo is going to be mightily hard to find.
1 shimmy out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
I really enjoy your style of blogging. Its fun but informative!!
Thanks mate, it’s something we’ve always enjoyed, discussing and looking into movies so glad you dig it!
E
To date, reviews I’ve read have said this is better than anticipated (but still meh), or one of the worst of the year. Yours seems to fall in the latter category. Good post as always man.
Yeh man it was maybe slightly better than Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2 but that really is not saying much ha. It was weird how strange the chemistry between Barrymore and Sandler felt here, it was no where near the same level that was on show in the Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates.
E
Agree! A complete waste of time!
Especially with a run time just short of 2 hours, what happened to the good old days of 80-90 minute comedies ha.
E
Haha yes exactly! I never really liked any of Adam Sandler’s movies anyway (except perhaps 50 First Dates) so I have no idea what was going through my head when I decided to give this a shot.
Stating at paint drying would’ve been more entertaining lol.
Staring* lol
50 First Dates is easily one of his most accessible, it’s frustrating he can’t replicate it to some degree.
E
It’s pretty awful, but not nearly as terrible as Sandler’s other movies. Which, I guess, is at least saying something. Good review Eddie.
He certainly has made some shockers man, but his made a boat load of money so the laugh is one us really.
E
This may not have been the best movie, but it was okay for a few laughs
For the 2 hours I sat through, I had wished to have gotten a few more chuckles. A lot of this felt overly forced and signposted.
E
Agreed. It was definitely no Wedding Singer.
spot on review..called it what it is.. a very bad movie! 😀
It took itself far to seriously sometimes and when the laughs were on offer, they largely fell flat. Lazy filmmaking really.
E
Nice review Eddie. This is a pretty poor movie – I think I gave it the same score as you – but I can’t help having a little soft spot for it. It has some nice chemistry between Sandler and Barrymore but that’s exactly why it should have been so much better.
I really wanted to enjoy this one actually as fans of their last collaborations. Sander needs a hit badly and so does Barrymore.
E
Just gonna throw a different opinion in here and say that I loved the movie. It felt very genuine. Watched it twice in the space of a few days and both times it got me. But maybe not a movie for everyone
Glad you dug it man, I know you’re not the only one.
E
I would rather get beheaded by a terrorist organisation than have to sit through this again.
Wesley Snipes get jail time for tax evasion but Sandler gets to roam free wreaking havoc with these dreadful movies.
I demand justice!!!
Haha my man this is surely some type of tortue, Sandler must surely be condemned to movie purgatory soon!
E
I looked at the trailer and thought, “Yep, that’s going to be one of the worst films of the year.”
You were very right in your judgement mate ha.
E
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