Io vi dichiaro marito e... marito

WARNING: I don't know how this film eventually received the PG-13 rating, as there is quite a bit of sexual humor, adult language and male nudity. While for an adult audience this is okay, don't mistakenly think this is a kids movie.

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY is a decent time-passer but not a whole lot more. I think most of the problem is that the film makers could have either played the film straight (so to speak) and tried to make it profound or they could have simply played it for laughs. BUT, trying to do both at the same time (like this movie did) tended to lessen the social commentary as well as take away from what could have been a much funnier film. In other words, playing this middle ground, in hindsight, probably wasn't the best idea. As a result, when the film tried to be serious and make gay-positive assertions, it came off as forced and half-hearted.

Considering that the film came out two years ago by the time I wrote this review and by now there are a bazillion reviews already, I won't summarize the film's plot. Instead, let's focus on what I liked. Sandler and James were both very good in the leads--I have no complaints there other than they tried way too hard to make Sandler some sort of stud. If he were NOT a movie star, there is no way he'd be able to get the girls he got in the film (especially pretty and very young Jessica Biel). Some of the supporting actors were very good. I liked Ving Rhames, Dan Aykroyd, the amazing dancing kid and that crazy dancing hobo. However, a few of the supporting actors sucked. Steve Buscemi's character was a caricature with no depth whatsoever as were all the non-gay positive characters--they were one-dimensional and were more like stereotypes than people. Also, how in the heck did Rob Schneider get away with such an awful and offensive performance?! Having him play a Japanese man (badly) hearkens to the days of Sidney Toler and Warner Oland (both Westerners) playing 'Charlie Chan'. I thought those days of having non-Asians play Asians (very broadly) were over--one of the positive aspects of political correctness. Now it is a little-known fact that Schneider's mother is a Filipino, but he still doesn't look the least bit Japanese and his character was MORE over the top than Peter Lorre's 'Mr. Moto'--and was a lot like Brando's impersonation of a Japanese man in TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON or Mickey Rooney's in BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (ugghh!!). With Schneider's Moe Howard-like wig, thick classes and buck teeth, he simply is a walking stereotype.

Overall, it's a decent time-passer you can watch if you have Showtime. Otherwise, it's very easy to just skip this one.

... this movie is firmly lodge.

I laughed out loud on more than one occasion. There are a few amusing cameos (my favorite being Dave Matthews as a flamboyant personal shopper). But I think the overall joke hit to miss ratio is probably something like 1 in 10. Sandler and James are just fine in their roles, but they didn't have much to work with. The story doesn't really work- way too many holes, even for a comedy. I think the movie just loses it's touch by going back and forth between overly general, unflattering depictions of homosexuals and sloppy attempts to make Chuck and Larry folk heroes to the gay community. All if it is done in such a way that none of it is believable. The movie is never quite as funny as it should be, and nowhere near as touching as it's desperately trying to be.

In "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," Adam Sandler and Kevin James play two New York City fire fighters who pretend to be gay so that Larry's two kids can be raised by Chuck in the event of Larry's untimely death (Larry's wife has been dead for two years and he has not been able to bring himself to date another woman in all that time). The hitch is that to bring this about, the two of them will have to officially register as "domestic partners." Originally, they intend on keeping their "relationship" a secret, but when the government starts sending inspectors around to verify the validity of their claim, Chuck and Larry are left with the choice of admitting to the scam and going to jail or convincing everyone around them that they are indeed an actual couple.

As a "high concept" comedy, "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" is pretty much a contrived manufacture from the get-go, mixing equal parts humor and sentiment in an attempt to play to the broadest possible audience - which is probably the only way the filmmakers could reasonably have gone with material this dicey. Yet, while the movie traffics in any number of lame stereotypes (gay as well as ethnic), it also has some important things to say about equality and acceptance in an ever changing world. The script achieves about a 50/50 ration in its humor - about half the jokes are zingers while the other half are clunkers - but the movie's heart is definitely in the right place, so much so that you will forgive the filmmakers when the story turns all heavy-handed and preachy towards the end, in what is surely one of the least plausible courtroom scenes in motion picture history. As compensation, the movie actually places its characters in some pretty sticky moral dilemmas at times, the prime one being that, much as we may like and admire Chuck and Larry for all the social barriers they are tearing down, we still hear that little nagging voice in the back of our heads telling us that they are defrauding the public and breaking the law while doing so. Such moral ambiguity is actually a pretty rare commodity for a mainstream American comedy these days.

Sandler and James imbue their roles with a great deal of charm and gusto, and they receive strong support from Dan Aykroyd, Jessica Biel, Ving Rhames and Steve Buscemi.

"I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" certainly isn't up to the level of "Knocked Up" or "Superbad," its summer 2007 comedy contemporaries, but neither is it the cinematic disaster most of the critics have accused it of being. It's an uneven but largely likable romp that makes you feel good about the world when it's over.

I have a gay friend who doesn't fit the stereotype in that he loves the WWE and usually watches crude comedies like this latest Adam Sandler comedy. Many critics have called this movie offensive because of many homophobic jokes that abound as well as the Asian stereotype that Sandler's friend Rob Schneider plays as a Canadian wedding preacher. Well, since I'm Asian-American and I know Schneider is half so, I admit I wasn't very amused by his portrayal but I also decided maybe Rob thought so and decided, "What the hell!" and went for it. But many of the homophobic jokes do work and is partly redeemed by some gay humor that seemed more silly than offensive and some were even hilarious. Besides Schneider, other former SNLers to appear include David Spade, Rachel Dratch, and original cast member Dan Aykroyd. All have some moments. Also appearing are Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames in a performance you won't believe (or maybe you will depending what you think he's capable of), and a couple of celebrities that recently came out, Lance Bass and Richard Chamberlain. And Keven James isn't bad either! Overall, based on bad reviews, I dreaded this movie but I laughed enough and enjoyed enough to at least recommend this to anyone who can laugh at almost anything. P.S. My gay friend absolutely loved this!

Dugan's 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry' starts off like a typical Adam Sandler comedy with the usual lame jokes, but things take off when Kevin James steps in. Parts of the film do remind one of 'Three To Tango' but it has its own jokes and is quite an enjoyable comedic flick. It rests on a thin plot that is lifted by the chemistry between the actors. James and Sandler are supported by a hilarious cast, which includes Ving Rhames (like you've never seen before), Steve Buscemi, Dan Akroyd and Rob Scheider, that provides some excellent comic relief. Jessica Biel has never looked better (what a body!). Child actor Cole Morgen is remarkably talented. And of course Kevin James and Adam Sandler are great. While the film is full of fun and laugh-out-loud moments, fortunately it's not offensive in any way, considering the theme. It's quite pro-gay. Overall, this is a fun film. If one is in search of something light and some laughter, 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry' is a recommendation.