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plot summary: Small-town boy Longfellow Deeds (Sandler) unexpectedly inherits 40 billion dollars from the great-uncle he never knew he had. Upon arrival in the big city, tabloid reporter Babe Bennett (Ryder) goes undercover as a small-town gal named "Pam Dawson", and tries to get the dirt on him. But instead she falls in love. Awwww. Loosely based on the 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town starring Gary Cooper, and directed by Frank Capra.
review: So, as you can probably guess, I wanted to see this movie because my beloved Winona Ryder is in it! (For those new to the site, she was one of my idols in my adolescence.) At first, I was kinda aghast that my beloved Noni would do an Adam Sandler movie. She used to seem a little classier than your average film starlet to me. But then she did Saturday Night Live, that episode of Friends, and oh, don't forget her little court case going on right now! Plus, here's something interesting that the press isn't mentioning and only a hardcore fan would know it anyway: back in 1994, Noni auditioned for the Coen brothers' The Hudsucker Proxy and has often said it is the one role she wishes she could've gotten. So, tell me she didn't take this role as some sort-of consolation prize???
Ah, Noni...dear, Noni. She's okay in this. Really, she's not given a whole lot to work with aside from being "the love interest", and frankly, while I can't imagine any other actress in the world playing Veronica Sawyer or Lelaina Pierce, anyone could've filled in and played Pam Dawson here. And one other thing: I think she could've played the tabloid journalist waa-aaay more snarkier! I guess it's just a stretch for her since she's always played the "delicate flower" and doesn't really know how to play the villianess. Well, apparently, she'll have another chance in her next film S1m0ne, where she plays a diva actress or something like that.
I have to say, I'm slowly warming up to Adam Sandler. I really thought he was sweet in The Wedding Singer, and in Mr. Deeds he plays more off that character than say...The Waterboy, which, yes, I really did see. In the theater. For full price. But I digress. Sandler manages to give a believable sweet naivete to the character of Longfellow Deeds. Gary Cooper, he is not. But I do say, he has his own brand of charm.
But really, this movie belongs to John Turturro. OMG, he is soo adorable and cute in this! He completely makes the movie with his cute performance as the butler with a foot fetish. Sneaky sneaky!!
Steve Buscemi gives his usual crazy cameo, though I have to say I liked his Wedding Singer cameo a little more. Thank god annoying SNL-alum Rob Schneider gives only a blink-and-you'll-miss-him cameo. (Although his bit at the end is rather sweet.)
It's not a strong story, but it is kinda nice and entertaining. Critics are trashing it, calling it the worst movie of the year (well, one of our local weeklies called it that...), but I really don't think it's that bad. Kinda charming, kinda stupid at times, but kinda funny, too. Plus, Noni looks rilly rilly rilly pretty! (janice.07.02)
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