An ambitious architect who thinks that everything is an obstacle to his success finds a remote that can allegedly solve all of his problems.
Honestly, I never thought this would be one of my favourite comedies/dramas – especially with Adam Sandler in it. But the story resonated with me for more than one reason. Let me get the pleasantries out of the way, though.
Adam Sandler is funny, and he is made for roles like these. The exaggerated tragicomedy surrounding a remote that controls your life could be a bunch of different films in the hands of different writers. Steve Koren and Mark O’Keefe wrote a condensed comedy (for the first part) about a guy who just wants to succeed in life as he has had enough of looking at the greener grass next to him. He finds this remote and, as probably most of us, uses it exactly as a child would. With Sandler always being a man-child, it is guaranteed that the remote’s uses will be definitely inappropriate. Changing the colour of himself or the shape of others, muting them, dubbing them in different languages, and so much more deems Click, admittedly, a funny comedy. Until it turns into drama…
The dire long-term effects of the remote’s use are seen halfway into the film, and the realisation of what has happened, is happening, and will be happening from that point on is also the unfortunate time of one’s life where they realise that… Time. Does. Not. Go. Back. No matter how hard we wish it did, it does not. Click is paying close attention to that fact and sugarcoats it with humour but still makes your eyes wet. I’ve written some mediocre reviews of other Sandler films, but in this instance, he is good. The balance between comedy and drama is maintained very well by director Frank Coraci in the second part of the second act. It hits you harder than you expected, as you never saw it coming when you initially put the film on.
Regarding the rest of the cast, Kate Beckinsale brightens up every shot she’s in, David Hasselhoff is hilarious, Julie Kavner is amazing, and Henry Winkler deserves a special reference. The sequence where he looks at Sandler and says: “I love you, son”, and then turns around to leave is a tearjerker. If you think otherwise, you are not human. Winkler significantly contributes to the film’s dramatisation, and his performance is out of this world. He is also an exceptional human being.
Oh, you also get the film’s full force for another reason. Michael Newman (Sandler) reminds you of you. Reminds you of these times you said: “Can’t wait to be done with this…”, “Can’t wait for this project to end…”, “Can’t wait to finish…”. Newman is all of us who don’t appreciate the present, the today, the “now”. Newman represents those who don’t appreciate the beautiful person next to us, the fact that we and our people are in good health, and how much “love” can enrich us with everything money or fame can’t. Careful what you wish for…
P.S. As per IMDb, R.L. Stine wrote something similar in 1995 in his “Tales To Give You Goosebumps” and almost sued Sandler for plagiarism, but it was all considered a coincidence in the end. After all, they could both be based on the old French tale “The Magic Thread.”
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