Just Go With It
Danny (Adam Sandler) is a successful plastic surgeon working in L.A., wealthy and single ever since his heart was broken years ago; years later when he finds the woman of his dreams, Palmer (Brooklyn Decker), a beautiful young school teacher, he’s in a bit of a bind. Palmer thinks Danny is married but soon to be divorced, and, before she’s willing to advance their relationship she wants to meet his soon-to-be ex. In an effort to ease Palmer’s concerns, Danny convinces his faithful assistant, Katherine (Jennifer Aniston), to play the part of his wife on a vacation to Hawaii. But can Danny and Katherine keep up the ruse, what about their so-called kids, and who will live happily ever after?
Now, I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest Sandler fan, in fact I can’t stand most of what he does. With rare exception I find his schtick formulaic, tired, and unimaginative. That in mind, I was pleasantly surprised when the film didn’t completely bomb for me. Now, that’s not to say the screenplay isn’t a chip off the old block, in fact it is, but, for some charming reason a dash of the humor here made me chuckle. Of course there’s still the same old wicked Sandler edge, adolescent jokes that play well to the lowest common denominator and vindication for the underdog, yet on a few occasions I actually found myself liking the characters. Nicole Kidman and Dave Matthews’s bit parts also serve as classic Sandler villains, fine. Bottom line, it’s okay, maybe a matinee edging towards a rental. Just Go With It is rated PG-13.