Bedtime Stories

Release year: 2008
My Rating: ★★½ out of 5

Tagline: Whatever they dream up… he has to survive.

Synopsis: Skeeter Bronson is a down-on-his-luck guy who’s always telling bedtime stories to his niece and nephew. But his life is turned upside down when the fantastical stories he makes up for entertainment inexplicably turn into reality. Can a bewildered Skeeter manage his own unruly fantasies now that the outrageous characters and situations from his mind have morphed into actual people and events?

I'd say this is officially the beginning of Adam Sandler's "phoning it in" era. Despite that, I do think there is quite a bit to say about this movie.

I think there is a real shot this is the first Adam Sandler movie I ever saw. I remember distinctly watching this during one of the movie days during elementary school, and it just so happened to be one of the most recent movies to come out. This was 2009 and what a disappointing first movie of his to watch. There's definitely a chance though I saw Happy Gilmore around the same time, but at least I distinctly remember watching this one for the first time. We also watched Monsters Vs. Aliens in the same day and I have to say, neither of the movies really drew me in. Not a great impression for a 9 year old who thought all movies are good.

When this movie came out, I remember my grandma looking at the newspaper listings of local movie showtimes as she did before everyone was on the internet. We had the choice of Bedtime Stories or Hotel for Dogs. I chose Hotel for Dogs. Well, I definitely liked Hotel for Dogs more than Bedtime Stories, so I think it was a good choice for a kid. In retrospect, they are probably of similar quality. Interesting that they both star the leads of Reign Over Me.

Bedtime Stories is most interesting to me because it is Adam Sandler's first kids movie. Like yes, there are movies that kids tend to love like Big Daddy and Billy Madison, but this is his first movie made specifically for kids. It's his first PG-rated movie. You can tell the impact that having his first kid had on him. From here he definitely starts gearing more of his movies purposefully towards families. I think, however, this unfortunately seems to make his movies more bland. Like he doesn't get as wacky and loud anymore. I kinda miss it.

Adam Sandler just does not seem to be enjoying himself as much here. It just makes the movie feel so much more mellow. I definitely know this isn't a bad movie. It's actually a pretty wholesome movie for kids. I just wish I had something to latch onto here that I could say I really liked. But yeah, I don't really have anything.

And of course I must add my obligatory Rob Schneider hate. Here he is only in for one of the bedtime stories and, oh boy, plays a Native American. Uuuuuuuuugggggggghhhhhhhh! God, why! Ruin the sanctity of a children's movie? And it sure does seem like they colored his skin red. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM?

Bedtime Stories is a fine, maybe even a good movie, but I can definitely tell we might be getting to a movie slog coming up shortly.