Over the course of a film career spanning more than thirty years, Adam Sandler has developed into quite the comic obscurant. On the one hand, Sandler has signed his name to half a dozen sophisticated, relatively subtle, indie comedies, such as “Spanglish”, “Punch Drunk Love” and “Funny People,” even delving into the realm of politically charged drama with 2007′s “Reign Over Me.” On the other hand, though, Sandler must also be held responsible for some of the most asinine, sophomoric, underdeveloped schlock-fests that have ever entered the suspiciously sticky DVD players of pimply, teenage, glue sniffers. Having established the development of these two aesthetic extremes in Sandler’s extensive catalogue, it is only fair to point out that 90% of his movies sit comfortably in a middle-of-the-range space between “artful” and “vomitous.”

And yet, no-one would dare accuse Happy Madison Production’s newest offering, “That’s My Boy,” (directed by Sean Anders) of cinematic fence-sitting.

The plot of the movie, without giving away the twist– and it is a doozy– is this: mathematically gifted, 12 year old delinquent, Donny Berger is involved in a sexual liaison with his 22 year old teacher, Mary McGarricle, the products of which are a son, Han Solo, and a brief period of gainful notoriety. Skip ahead twenty years or so, and Donny (Adam Sandler) is estranged from the renamed, and very successful, Todd (Andy Samberg) and living in obscurity with an enormous debt owed to the IRA. To ease his financial troubles, Donny brokers a deal with a talk-show host to organize a reunion between himself, his son and his imprisoned ex-lover (Susan “what was she thinking?” Sarandon.) Seeing a notice in the paper advertising Todd’s impending wedding to WASPish socialite Jaime (tragically underused Leighton Meester), Berger decides to reconnect with his son in the hopes of tricking him into the show. The rest of the movie is 114 minutes of sperm jokes, violent diarrhea, and rampant racism, sexism and a host of other “-ism”s that might, if listed in full, have prolonged Ferris Bueller’s seminal shower by a good 20 minutes.

But, leaving aside the smaller problems of the movie– not that Sandler’s inability to follow-through with a single potent punchline in a film that markets itself as a goofball comedy is by any means a small problem — “That’s My Boy” has one, major flaw that doomed the movie even in its most fledgling stages of development. And that is this: statutory rape is not hilarious.

The thing is, irreverence and the tackling of taboos through humour can be well done. In recent times, Hollywood has produced a number of extremely funny and often beautifully made, dark comedies that tackle sensitive, socio-historical issues head on. Standout examples of semi-recent subversive laugh-a-minute films include, Morris’ “Four Lions”, a riotous indie film about Muslim-English suicide bombers, Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” a movie that dared to poke fun at the Third Reich, and, most topically, Reitman’s “Juno,” which revolves around the subject of teen pregnancy.

Yet, there remains a vast difference between any one of the movies above and ‘That’s My Boy”– quite apart from the fact that those films are hilarious, and the only funny thing about the Sandler movie is that anyone with functioning eyes and ears paid to see it– because, where the other movies have the good sense to not make fun of the central kernel of struggle within the movie, the characters of “That’s My Boy” barge into the dark world of sexual abuse and bumble about in there without the weakest flashlight of self-awareness. To put it another way, “Four Lions” makes jokes about acts of faith, but not faith, “Inglorious Basterds” mocks Hitler but not the holocaust, “Juno” plays with the physical state of pregnancy in high-school, but not the emotional toll of growing up fast. By contrast, “That’s My Boy” does not discriminate between pressure points within the incredibly traumatic subject of statutory rape and its consequences, and makes the entire underage teacher-student relationship — the inciting incident that creates the tension for the whole film– into a big, colossally unfunny, joke.

Somewhere, very, very deep down inside the soul of this uncharismatic well of one-liner ejaculate, there is something that needs to be said. Indeed, Sandler manages to pull off a few, incredibly sparse, genuinely touching incidences between himself and Samberg in which there is a momentary glimpse into the unique perspective of a tragically young dad trying valiantly to bring up a son while going through his own, rocky, coming of age journey. Those flashpoints of honesty between parent and child, in conjunction with a series of scene stealing performances by the utterly charming Vanilla Ice– who should have “[flown] like a harpoon daily and nightly” away from this movie–, may almost have redeemed the rest of the film. Unfortunately, they are, more often than not, quickly smothered by shots of obese prostitutes firing pool-balls from their hoo-has at mentally challenged yokels.

Previously, I had assumed that Sandler continued to produce this kind of movie, the kind of movie firmly entrenched within the “vomitous” camp of his stylistic spectrum, because he has no respect for his audience beyond the money they persist in offloading into his already overflowing pockets. Now, post-”That’s My Boy,” I know this to be the case, and, perversely, this knowledge makes me feel both better about this specific movie and about Sandler’s movie making career as a whole. Ah, yes indeed, free market capitalism is alive and well.

Grade: 1/5

Image Courtesy of  That’s My Boy

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Twenty years before the Occupy movement began, author, musician, activist, visionary, spiritual leader, and co-founder of one of the world’s largest EcoVillages, Gabriel of Urantia, started teaching civil disobedience against evil and injustice, encouraging people to quit “wrong jobs” with companies based on greed – particularly working for banks, nuclear plants, and weapons factories – to find like-minded individuals, form communities, grow your food, have a good water source, and trust the Creator to provide a job in service to humanity or a career within the community you joined or founded.

In 1996 Gabriel of Urantia developed his concept of  ”Spiritualution (SM) – Justice to the People,” a spiritual revolution for and by the earth’s citizens – not the raising of arms but the raising of consciousness and each individual’s commitment and willingness to change, to quit “wrong jobs” or go on strike.

To Gabriel, true spirituality involves action and being your brother’s/sister’s keeper – not necessarily belonging to a church but actively fighting evil, wherever it exists. His teachings on unity without uniformity challenge dogmatic, antiquated religious thinking and concepts.

Many who follow Gabriel of Urantia’s teachings believe they’re the inspiration for the Occupy/99% movement sweeping the world. “Gabriel of Urantia’s wisdom and fidelity to teaching truth have placed him into a distinct position as a leader among people hungry for change,” said Zarath Giannangelo, a protester at New York’s Occupy Wall Street in Zucotti Park, one of thousands taking part in the Spiritualution.

“I have great respect for him because his activism is not tokenism; he lives and breathes it. His actions are clear indications of his lifelong struggle to bring positive and lasting global change.”

Susan Sarandon, actress, activist, and participant in the Occupy Wall Street movement, when asked her thoughts on Gabriel of Urantia’s Spiritualution message and the need for radical unity among people, said, “There’s not much choice other than looking at it that way, and if we can’t start to blend in a positive way, the earth will get rid of us just like a little pus ball and regenerate itself in a better way. ‘Radical unity,’ that’s good!”

Chris Hedges, journalist for truthdig.com and also a participant in the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, when interviewed in New York by Amadon DellErba of Global Change Television, said this about Spiritualution, “When you stand up against injustice, and you are willing to put your life on the line to see that justice is done, that for me embodies true spirituality.”

In 1989 Gabriel of Urantia co-founded Global Community Communications Alliance and Avalon Organic Gardens & EcoVillage, currently with 100 international change agents. Gabriel encourages people to come to the Creator and follow His voice over institutionalized churches or religions. Worldwide people need to escape the stronghold religions and corporations have upon them. They can only do this with a faith in the Creator.

For more information: http://spiritualution.org or contact BenDameean Steinhardt, (520) 576-2890,info@spiritualution.org.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/atomische/

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Lionsgate have announced ‘The Big Wedding’, a Nu Image / Millennium Films production that Lionsgate will be distributing in the U.S. and the U.K. The announcement was made jointly by Joe Drake, President of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, Jason Constantine, Lionsgate’s President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, and Avi Lerner, Founder and Co-Chairman of Nu Image, who is handling international sales of the film.

The film, which boasts an all star cast including Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Robin Williams, Ben Barnes and Topher Grace, is currently shooting in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Written and directed by Justin Zackham (‘The Bucket List’), the film centers around Don (De Niro) and Ellie (Keaton), a long divorced couple being forced to pretend that they are still happily married at their son’s wedding. Among all of their family and friends, the hoax snowballs into a poignant and raucously funny story about the ties that bind.

Nu Image’s Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort and Trevor Short are executive producing, with Justin Zackham, Clay Pecorin, Richard Salvatore and Harry Ufland producing.

“The Big Wedding is a charming, rollicking movie that promises to be an instant intergenerational family comedy classic,” explains Drake of the film’s appeal to the studio.  “We are thrilled to be in business once again with Avi and Nu Image,” adds Constantine.  “After our success together with action genre films like ‘The Expendables’ and the upcoming ‘Conan The Barbarian’, this film presented a wonderful opportunity to expand our collaborative horizons into the realm of broad comedy.”

“Our relationship with Lionsgate has always been mutually beneficial and one of great respect. A film like The Big Wedding only reinforces that idea and takes our relationship to the next level,” says Lerner. “We know that Lionsgate’s faith in us to deliver on all of the potential of this comedy is well placed.”

Negotiations on behalf of Lionsgate were overseen by Constantine along with Lionsgate’s SVP of Acquisitions Eda Kowan and EVP of Business & Legal Affairs Wendy Jaffe.

About Lionsgate 

Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution and new channel platforms.

The Company has built a strong television presence in production of prime time cable and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming through Debmar-Mercury and an array of channel assets.

Lionsgate currently has 15 shows on more than 10 networks spanning its prime time production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as “Mad Men”, “Weeds” and “Nurse Jackie” along with  the comedy “Blue Mountain State, ” the upcoming drama “Boss” and the syndication successes “Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne”, its spinoff “Meet The Browns”,  the upcoming “For Better or Worse,” ”The Wendy Williams Show” and “Are We There Yet?”.

Image Courtesy of   cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com

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