That’s My Boy

There’s only one reason to go see this movie: Adam Sandler is hysterical.

Make no mistake, this is ninety minutes of Adam Sandler making audiences laugh, and he is fantastic doing it. Director Sean Anders frames the movie well, but in the end, his job can be summarized as doing enough to let Sandler carry the rest of the team. Writer David Caspe turns in a script that would fall flat on its face without Sandler at the center, and co-star Andy Samberg has the comedic chops of a mannequin. Ultimately, the film truly finds itself in the secondary characters—and, of course, Sandler’s performance.

While the story focuses on wild-child-turned-father Donny Berger (Adam Sandler) reconnecting with his son Todd (Andy Samberg) in order to avoid going to jail for tax evasion, the film really finds rhythm and comedic value in its platoon of minor characters. Vanilla Ice embodies a reimagined version of himself, James Caan plays a boxer turned priest and Milo Ventimiglia is a scene-stealer as a one-fry-short-of-a-Happy-Meal Marine Corps officer. And this only scratches the surface of ancillary characters; they prove invaluable throughout the movie to shift the focus away from Sandler and keep his not-quite-right Boston accent from making the jump from mildly annoying to completely obnoxious.

As much as the rest of the cast steps up to the plate, Andy Samberg shows us with painstaking clarity that among true architects of humor, he struggles to find the funny. Using gimmickry to tickle audiences—a warped tattoo of the New Kids or carrying an extra pair of underwear because of a fourth- grade mishap—Samberg makes us realize that unless he’s putting his d**k in a box, he has some trouble making people laugh. His wooden delivery and overemphasized character faults make him more caricature than character, which only seems worse as those around him deliver gold.

Since The Hangover changed the comedy scene in 2009 with its very R-rated approach, the film’s more humorous side has pushed the envelope with audiences. While That’s My Boy may have one too many jokes concerning bodily fluids, the R-rated material is where Sandler flourishes. The no-holds-barred plot line allows Sandler to sink his teeth into the role, embrace the ridiculous and give his own unique flair to the project. In the end, his acting ability keeps his character distinctly human despite the madness that is Donny Berger. No matter how far outside our own lives his character may be, Sandler is able to be someone you can simultaneously laugh at but also care for; it’s this careful balance that allows people to connect with his character. Sure, there are times when jokes become more gross than funny and Sandler’s character becomes more obnoxious than obtuse, but That’s My Boy remains a funny movie with moments of sentiment and relatability.