Blended (2014) – Review

Where to watch Blended

1/2 Star

I have stuck with Adam Sandler through the worst of ’em, but none that have come before can equal the god-awfulness of Blended. How bad is it? Bad enough to rightfully sweep the Razzie awards this season and then to be swept under the rug so that no future audiences will have to endure this mess. I can’t describe just how off the timing is in this dud, typically jokes fall flat in comedies that aren’t working, but the tired attempts at humor lie listless on the screen and the performers bring zero energy and nothing fresh to their roles. Call That’s My Boy a bomb if you want, personally I think it’s an underrated gem, but at least Sandler attempted to do…something. It’s not all his fault, Drew Barrymore continues her tradition of being cast in comedies for no apparent reason, and portrays one of the least likable character in any movie this year. I’d rather go on a date with Electro. I digress.

We meet single parents Jim Friedman (Adam Sandler) and Lauren Reynolds (Drew Barrymore) on a disastrous blind date. Jim has chosen Hooters restaurant for the occasion, which obviously doesn’t sit well with Lauren. Already there is a miscalculation in the writing, before five minutes have elapsed we understand that Jim is a pig with a big heart and Lauren is an uptight prude with a big heart. Of course they can’t stand one another, and they both spend the next few days telling their co-workers just how bad the date was.

By an absolute improbability that only occurs in Disney fairy tales, Jim and Lauren find themselves stuck together at a resort for families in Africa, where their attraction and respect grows as their respective children benefit from the burgeoning relationship. Jim’s daughter’s are overly masculine, while Lauren’s sons are introverted mama’s boys. Naturally the other will pull the children out of their shells and restore confidence.

It’s a shame Adam Sandler is stuck in second-gear for the entirety of the film, because there have been moments he’s downright hilarious on-screen. But in Blended, these moments are kept to a minimum. The film is neither funny nor touching and comes up a tedious middle-road hybrid from veteran Sandler collaborator Frank Coraci, who directed. It is both too much and too little all at the same time.

Director: Frank Coraci
Stars: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Terry Crews