Say what you will about some of his more recent films, after gifting audiences with such memorable characters as Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, Adam Sandler has more than proven his talent as a comedic actor over the years. However, even as a Sandler fan, I was still a little skeptical concerning Just Go With It, which not only looked like it had an absurd plot, but also seemed like little more than an excuse to showcase Brooklyn Decker in a swimsuit. Forgetting the fact that there seems to be an increasing age gap between Sandler and his romantic interests (in this case Sandler is 21 years Decker’s senior…more than a little creepy), Columbia Pictures’ promotional activities indicated that they believed no one would question this strange romantic comedy. The inclusion of Jennifer Aniston in the cast was definitely interesting, as even though some of her most recent films have failed to live up to expectations, she still has a strong background in comedy, so I was curious to see what she could do alongside Sandler. While it was clear that I wouldn’t be reviewing a profoundly deep display of humor, I was still willing to see if Just Go With It could provide at least a few stupid laughs.
Well, even though I can’t say I was too surprised, even by Adam Sandler standards, Just Go With It is shockingly bad. In the nearly two-hour running time, there are maybe two passably funny jokes, thanks largely to a ridiculous, razor-thin script, and shamefully lazy writing and acting. Adam Sandler had made a career of bringing wildly unstable characters to life, but in recent years it almost seems like he is content to sit-back and rely on his own fame to create success rather than actually work for it. In terms of the supporting cast, Jennifer Aniston is the one shining light in the film, doing her best to bring some affectionate humor to the story while Brooklyn Decker bounces around and Nick Swardson undermines his own talent with a mind-numbingly high level of zaniness that I hope someone on set thought was funny (even Rob Schneider was never this bad). Previously, I would have labeled You Don’t Mess with the Zohan as Sandler’s worst film, but I think that dubious title now belongs to Just Go With It. Bottom line: I don’t care how big a fan of Adam Sandler you think you are…you have better things to do with your time than watch this train wreck.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very Low
