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> LITTLE NICKY (2000)
Adam Sandler started with three hit films heralded by Generation Xers, and now he has three sub par flicks… Little Nicky being the most recent disappointment.

By John C. Lyons
Film Critic

Directed by: Steven Brill

Written by: Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler, Steven Brill

Genre: Comedy

Starring: Adam Sandler, Patricia Arquette and Harvey Keitel

Our Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Each time I see an ad for a new Adam Sandler vehicle I get excited. Films like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore remind of the good old days of high school and college. My parents (and most anyone 30+ years old) hated these movies and just could not grasp our generation's style of comedy. My friends and I could (and still do) watch these films time and time again, dozens of times, and still laugh uncontrollably for nearly the full length of the film. However, I feel that after his critic and fan-praised efforts in The Wedding Singer Adam Sandler has started to lose his edge. Little Nicky, while not as big a disappointment as his last film, Big Daddy, proves the theory that Adam's time may have passed.

You have to wonder if Sandler himself is feeling the lack of dominance at the box office too. Since The Wedding Singer was released, each of his films has maintained tight control of ticket sales for weeks after their release and rentals have also been very profitable. Critics overall have never liked Sandler's humor and have usually panned his films, calling him a sarcastic jerk. I, for one, love that about Sandler; it made him one of the guys, someone you could hang out with and raise a little hell.

However, with the lackluster performances of Big Daddy and, almost certainly, Little Nicky you have to wonder if, instead of pumping one or two new movies out a year, he and his writers should take some time to write a funny script and a decent character for him to play; thereby gaining some respect back from the people who made him a household name: the 20-somethings of "Generation x".

In Little Nicky Sandler plays a very non-likeable character. I found Nicky to be more annoying than anything. I could appreciate the inconsiderate slob "Sonny Koufax" of Big Daddy, and the socially challenged "Bobby Boucher" of The Waterboy - roles that enabled Sandler to do what he does best: be a smartass and a hilarious bumbling goofball. With Nicky you have Satan's son with a bad hairstyle and a horrid Rocky Balboa slack jaw imitation. They went too over the top with this character, which makes it look like they are running out of ideas.

Watching Sandler act throughout the movie almost looks painful, like he is really struggling to speak in that voice and keep his mouth at such an angle. Let Sandler be Sandler. Let him go out there and deliver the lines the way he does best. Don't try and character-act to this extent; it hurts.

The story is basically this: Satan needs help and his one good-natured son (Nicky) who must try and prevent his two brothers from stealing his father's reign on hell. The film also showcases cameos and references to many of his more successful films throughout Little Nicky, giving his fans a bit of a full-circle look at the Sandler film library. Is this a sign? Is Adam Sandler's reign coming to an end? I sure hope not! The guy has a knack for making smart-asses around the world laugh. I just hope that next time he doesn't try so hard; he has no need to.

I took in this flick at the wonderful Tinseltown theaters on upper Peach Street in Erie.

What I liked: Your standard Sandler humor, always good. Chubbs!

What I didn't like: Seems to play more to the under 15 crowd, which is shocking. Unlikable title character. Perhaps the bigger budget made the creative forces focus too much on special effects and a lot less on writing. It's a comedy folks, not Armageddon!

(00-1123)

related links:

Little Nicky - official page