That's My Boy: Film Review 9:00 AM PDT 6/14/2012 by Justin Lowe

Follow Like 104k Subscribe Industry Tools Newsletters Daily PDF Register Log in

MOVIES TV MUSIC TECH THE BUSINESS STYLE & CULTURE AWARDS VIDEO NEWS REVIEWS TRAILERS BOX OFFICE HEAT VISION RISKY BUSINESS OSCARS CHARTS LAFF

COMIC-CON THE AMAZING SPIDER-KMAATNY PERRY EMMYS 2012

Advertisement That's My Boy: Film Review 9:00 AM PDT 6/14/2012 by Justin Lowe

Like 23 Send SHARE 504 0 Comments (9) The Bottom Line Opens A proven comedy formula that’s facing Friday, June 15 diminishing returns attempts another (Columbia Pictures) rally. Director Sean Anders Cast Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, Vanilla Ice, Tony Orlando, Will Forte, Milo Ventimiglia Katy Perry MORE FROM THIS ISSUE Subscribe Now Adam Sandler plays a former reality TV star and Andy Samberg portrays his son in the comedy directed by Give a Gift Sean Anders. By now a well-recognized brand unto themselves, Adam Sandler and his Happy Madison production company represent a firmly entrenched comedy formula that can claim a global fan base prepared to follow wherever the laughs may lead. With enough wedding-related shenanigans to pull in the date crowd, the guffaw-to-gag ratio remains relatively respectable, though there’s nothing here that hasn’t Savages: Film Review been attempted many times over. Resistance is futile, however, and will hardly prevent the middling That’s My Boy from opening to brisk business, most likely in the midrange of recent Sandler releases.

PHOTOS: '90s All Over Again: 'That's My Boy' The Amazing Spider-Man: OUR EDITOR Premiere Draws Sandler, Spade ... and Vanilla Ice Film Review RECOMMENDS Donny Berger (Sandler) is a burned-out former reality TV star 'That's My Boy' Official Green with no job and practically no family, at least none that who Band Trailer stand by him. Now well into his 40s, he’s infamous for having Katy Perry: Part of Me: Film Released (Video) Review slept with his eighth-grade teacher (currently serving a 30-year 'That's My Boy' sentence in the Massachusetts penal system), fathering a son Red-Band Trailer with her while still a teen and leveraging his notoriety to launch a With Adam Magic Mike: Film Review Sandler and Andy lucrative TV show and series of celebrity endorsements. But he’s Samberg Hits the pissed it all away and dodged paying taxes in the process -- now Web (Video) he has a $43,000 IRS bill that will land him in jail if he can’t Andy Samberg quickly raise the cash to pay it off. Talks Leaving Ted: Film Review 'SNL' With Adam He also has neglected his son Todd (Andy Samberg), who Sandler (Video) moved away as soon as he turned 18 and hasn’t spoken with his epically incompetent dad ever since. Despite his traumatic childhood and a bucketful of neuroses, Todd -- whose birth name is Han Solo Berger -- is now a wealthy and successful hedge fund manager who’s about to marry the woman of his dreams. The last thing he expects is for his estranged father to show up, which Donny does in classic wedding-crasher style after devising an unsavory scheme to settle his tax debt. 1 Brad Pitt's Mother Pens Anti-Gay, Anti- Mortified and about to see the lie he’s told everyone about his deceased parents exposed, Todd Obama Letter to Local Newspaper » introduces Dad to fiancée Jamie (Leighton Meester) and her family as his best friend. Improbably, Donny utterly charms the other wedding guests and is soon getting along with everyone except his 2 Ron Perlman Visits Child in Full Hellboy Makeup for Make-A-Wish » son, even after people recognize him as the notorious TV personality with an insatiable addiction to cheap beer. 3 Katie Holmes 'Biggest Nightmare' in Scientology History, Say Experts » Donny’s determined to see his son through an increasingly bumpy wedding weekend, however, as Todd is confronted by the hostility of Jamie’s Marine brother Chad (Milo Ventimiglia), a 4 'Glee' Season 4: Could Santana Join pugnacious priest (James Caan) and a series of mishaps leading up to some serious father-son Rachel in NYC? Hope for Brittana? Will bonding over Todd’s calamitous bachelor-party night out. Todd’s quandary over forgiving Donny’s Artie Step Up? The Cast Sounds Off » past and current transgressions begins to pale in comparison to his mounting marriage woes, leaving 5 Ted Nugent Explodes at CBS News the groom with the unenviable choice between a parent he’s tried to avoid and a bride he soon might Employees in Curse-Filled Rant (Video) » want to escape. 6 Tom Cruise's Lawyer Confirms Impending This being an Adam Sandler comedy, crude humor predominates at the expense of inherently unique Divorce Filing, Letting Katie Holmes 'Play situations or characters, with a by-now familiar strain of sentimentality emerging in later reels. the Media' » Director Sean Anders and screenwriter David Caspe follow the game plan adequately enough, but 7 President Obama Jokes With Bar Patron: the movie is overburdened with incidents that prove only mildly amusing. Anders’ background as an 'Turn Off Fox News' » R-rated comedy writer could have served him better with shepherding the disparate cast and animating the pacing, but instead the outcome is a bloated runtime that nearly tips two hours. 8 Controversial Princess Diana Documentary 'Unlawful Killing' Is Shelved VIDEO: 'That's My Boy' Red-Band Trailer With Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg Hits » the Web 9 Chris Rock's 'White People's Day' Tweet In full-on man-child mode, Sandler plays a stereotypical Northeastern white-trash character Stirs Debate » recognizable from his exaggerated regional accent, nonstop substance abuse, profanity-dominated speech and fixation on sex. It’s nothing new for Sandler, who inhabits Donny’s low-life personality like an alter ego, alternately mugging and emoting with predictable charm.

Every buddy movie needs a straight man, but Samberg is rather more rigid than the role requires, rarely modulating his performance enough to generate genuine hilarity. Samberg and Sandler’s shared Saturday Night Live DNA barely registers, and their interactions lack much of the zaniness of the TV series. Meester remains relegated to a largely functional role that’s essential but hardly inspired. Deft casting that includes supporting actors Tony Orlando as Todd’s slimy boss, Vanilla Ice as Donny’s '90s All Over Again: 'That's best bud and a sexy Susan Sarandon in a brief cameo as Donny’s incarcerated teacher helps to My Boy' Premiere Draws enliven the overall mood. Sandler, Spade ... and Vanill... Serviceable lensing by DP Brandon Trost is marred by some inexpertly executed special effects, VIEW GALLERY but a soundtrack dominated by hairband rockers including Van Halen, Kiss, Foreigner and Def 'That's My Boy': What the Leppard provides plenty of tuneful distraction throughout. Critics Are Saying That’s My Boy delivers the outrageous situations, nonstop raunchiness and juvenile humor that Sandler fans typically seek -- for those who are actually still in the market for this particular brand of comedy.

Opens: June 15 (Columbia Pictures) Production company: Happy Madison Productions Cast: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, Vanilla Ice, Tony Orlando, Will Forte, Milo Get this App Ventimiglia, Susan Sarandon, James Caan For iPhone Director: Sean Anders Follow @THR 309K followers Screenwriter: David Caspe Follow @THR Producers: Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, Heather Parry, Allen Covert Executive producers: Barry Bernardi, John Morris, Dennis Dugan, Tim Herlihy Director of photography: Brandon Trost The Hollywood Reporter on Facebook Production designer: Aaron Osborne Like Costume designer: Ellen Lutter 104,161 people like The Hollywood Reporter. Editor: Tom Costain Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams Rated R, 116 minutes Kamila Yuichiro Sthefany Shaun Stev en

PHOTO GALLERY Facebook social plugin '90s All Over Again: 'That's My Boy' Premiere Draws Sandler, VIEW GALLERY Spade ... and Vanilla Ice ADAM SANDLER ANDY SAMBERG LEIGHTON MEESTER WILL FORTE MILO VENTIMIGLIA

THAT'S MY BOY

Like 23 Send SHARE 504 0 Comments (9)

by Taboola

7 Great Hollywood Commencement 'Back to the Future:' The Dictator Trailer 2 'That's My Boy' Red- Britney Spears Is a Hot Speeches to the... Eric Stoltz as the Band Trailer With Adam Mess in This Tight Mi… Jane Lynch, James Franco, Steve Carell and original Marty McFly Sandler and Andy Sa… [CafeMom] four others offer wisdom... VIEW GALLERY

You might like:

Sponsored Anger Management: TV American Apparel Puts Carrie Underwood: Lost Rock of Ages: Film Review Its First Gray-Haired The Pounds And Looks Review (The Hollywood Reporter) Model In a Amazing (The Hollywood Reporter) Controversial Pose (Zimbio) (Poll) (The Hollywood Reporter) [?]

Katie Holmes: My Marriage To Tom Cruise was Kaput in 2011 Charlie Sheen Ex-Assistant Dead Drugs Found '90s All Over Again: 'That's My Boy' Anderson Cooper 'The Fact Is, I'm Gay' Premiere ... Behind The Scenes Of 'The Good Wife' Season 4 Sony's comedy, which opens in theaters June 15, stars Andy Samberg ... VIEW GALLERY NBC News Chief On Ann Curry: 'We Gave Her A Year To Prove Herself' Alec Baldwin To Vanity Fair: I Wanted To 'Gut And Kill' Harvey Levin HBO Renews Newsroom, True Blood Sarah Polley on Take This Waltz

Advertisement Andy Samberg Bids 'SNL' Adieu, Leighton Meeste... 'Bridesmaids' star Ellie Kemper and 'Twilight' vamp Nikki Reed also... VIEW GALLERY

TOP TEN amfAR Designs The hottest item at the Wednesday amfAR COMMENTS 9 AIDS fundraiser was Richard... VIEW GALLERY

Marie Haughey 3 weeks ago See More Galleries Adam Sandler needs to give up, his movies just aren't funny anymore.

8 people liked this. LIKE REPLY Advertisement

Dancin_gal720 3 weeks ago

I agree

1 person liked this. LIKE REPLY

MikeD 3 weeks ago

Go away Adam Sandler. You haven't been funny since....never.

3 people liked this. LIKE REPLY

guest 3 weeks ago

You guys are idiots. Obviously his movies have fans if they continue to gross big numbers consistently at the box office.

1 person liked this. LIKE REPLY

Cc 2 weeks ago

Come back tomorrow and see how pathetic this weekend's box office take will be. Gossip Girl Sneak Peek Then ask yourself who the real idiot is. Blair and Serena talk about why Serena is famous in this sneak peek clip of CW's 'Gossip Still don't know? It's you. Girl.'

4 people liked this. LIKE REPLY RELATED MTV Movie Awards 2012: Stars Share their scumby 3 weeks ago Favorite Johnny Depp Movies » Gossip Girl's 100th Episode » what crap. MORE VIDEOS 3 people liked this. LIKE REPLY

Dancin_gal720 3 weeks ago

Adam Sandler hit his peak in the early 90's now any of the movies all suck and aren't worth seeing at all we've seen every joke hit in the groin joke he's got to offer. Sorry but should of quit while he was ahead if he ever was

2 people liked this. LIKE REPLY

VIDEO: Andy Samberg Attacked By Sharks Ronaldo Morrow 3 weeks ago

RELATED adam sandler has turned into the new eddie murphy Andy Samberg Reveals Why He Left 'SNL' » Thats My Boy Red Band Trailer » 1 person liked this. LIKE REPLY MORE VIDEOS cpt.crunch 4 days ago

sandler is to comedy what michael bay is to action

LIKE REPLY

Add New Comment Hotel Transylvania Trailer Optional: Login below. Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg all voice characters in the latest feature from Sony Pictures Animation.

RELATED VIDEO: Emmy Roundtable: Drama Actors Part 2 » Hotel Transylvania Trailer »