Boychoir
Director: Tom McCarthy
Stars: Adam Sandler, Melonie Diaz, Steve Buscemi
Duration: 99 mins
Class: 12
KRS Releasing Ltd
When is an Adam Sandler film not an Adam Sandler film? I could argue it is when he is not playing the casually dressed, baseball cap-sporting, sex-obsessed moronic man-child specimen that inhabits most of his films, where he is surrounded by equally moronic friends as he mumbles his way through the dialogue of a lame script in which he inevitably courts – and wins over – a woman way out of his league.
The Cobbler is marginally better than Sandler’s recent output, though not good enough to earn it more than two stars.
In what can be described as a semi-serious role, Sandler plays Max Simkin, a cobbler by profession who plies his trade out of the same New York Lower East Side shop that has been in his family for generations. Middle-aged, single, living with his elderly mother and with no life to speak of outside his work, Max one day discovers an old sewing machine in the shop’s basement that allows him literally to walk in other people’s shoes as he takes on their appearance when donning them, opening his life to opportunities he never imagined possible.
The premise is somewhat fairy tale-like, and it shows some genuine promise in the opening scene, set a few generations ago and spoken in Yiddish as Max’s great- grandfather describes how he came into possession of the machine. Yet any hope that this might develop into an enchanted story soon dissipates. The premise stretches to breaking point as the script dissolves into a mishmash of subplots that don’t mesh together at all. Max gets unwittingly mixed up in a local gang member’s affairs, which leads to a sub-plot about ruthless real estate moguls threatening to destroy the neighbourhood; while another sub-plot about the mysterious disappearance of Max’s father (Dustin Hoffman) makes little sense. The script by Paul Sado and Tom McCarthy (who also directs) can’t seem to decide whether this is a comedy or a drama; succeeding in nailing either.
I am surprised that Sandler manages to get away with depicting such obvious stereotypes
Moreover, it is not long before the film starts to cobble together many of the negative tropes associated with a typical Sandler film – casual racism for one.
When Max mugs a man to steal the keys of his flashy sports car he adopts the guise of a black man. I confess I am surprised, especially in the current sensitive climate, that Sandler manages to get away with depicting such obvious stereotypes; although there has been some kerfuffle over his latest film currently in production over the treatment of Native Americans in the script and on set.
The penchant for sexism also rears its ugly head - Max wears the shoes of his impossibly handsome neighbour (Dan Stevens) simply to ogle said neighbour’s girlfriend in the shower. This isn’t funny – it is downright creepy, as is the scene in which Max impersonates his father to have a romantic dinner with his mother.
I suppose one should grudgingly say that seeing Sandler attempt a character outside his normal comfort zone is a plus. Yet, he does little with it and his nasal, deadpan delivery and rather emotionless performance shows he is not quite comfortable outside his normal box. Melonie Diaz is a more grounded and realistic potential love interest than the norm; while Steve Buscemi adds some nice touches to his role of Max’s only friend Jimmy the Barber. Veterans Hoffman, and Ellen Barkin as the villain of the piece both do as well as they can in what are ultimately rather insubstantial roles.