As a long-time fan of romantic comedies and someone who has seen more than their fair share of Adam Sandler films, I must say that “Just Go with It” was a bit of a letdown for me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good laugh as much as the next person, but this movie felt like a recycled version of Sandler’s past projects, with little to no new material.
Typically, a remake of a movie fails to match the quality of its predecessor. Throw in Adam Sandler’s comedy, and you can bet it will be a flop. The 2011 film “Just Go with It” by Sandler was a significant letdown for his career, earning him a Razzie despite being adapted from an Oscar-winning movie.
In the movie Just Go with It, the story revolves around Danny Maccabee, portrayed by Adam Sandler, who finds himself in a predicament when a woman discovers his wedding ring, despite never having been married for more than a day. Mistaking him for a cheater, she confronts him, but he claims he’s going through a divorce. To maintain this deception, Danny enlists the help of his assistant, played by Jennifer Aniston, to pretend to be his estranged wife.
The Original Just Go With It
While “Just Go with It” isn’t considered an official remake, its storyline bears a striking resemblance to the 1969 comedy “Cactus Flower,” starring Walter Matthau and Goldie Hawn. Interestingly, “Cactus Flower” itself was adapted from a play with the same name.
In the movie “Cactus Flower”, the character played by Matthau feigns marriage to facilitate brief relationships, much like Danny Maccabee in “Just Go with It”. When Goldie Hawn’s character persuades him to marry her, he enlists his nurse, portrayed by Ingrid Bergman, to pretend to be his wife. This allows him to divorce her and calm Hawn’s anxieties. Interestingly, Goldie Hawn earned an Oscar for her role in “Cactus Flower”, but its remake, “Just Go with It”, received less favorable reviews, garnering awards for subpar acting performances instead.
What Are the Razzies?
Every year, the Oscars showcase the most remarkable cinematic accomplishments, but the Golden Raspberry Awards are all about recognizing the least impressive moments in filmmaking. These awards, popularly known as the Razzies, were established by John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy with a satirical intent, aiming to single out some of the worst-performing popular films. The spirit of these awards is lighthearted, even encouraging nominees to embrace their flops with the motto, “Own Your Bad.
Over the course of their existence, these awards have been part of some unforgettable instances. Interestingly, Paul Verhoeven made an appearance at a Razzies ceremony in 1996, as his film “Showgirls” was up for nomination. Remarkably, “Showgirls” holds the record for the most nominations in Razzie history, and Verhoeven took it all in stride. As quoted by “The Tampa Bay Times“, he said, “I received seven awards for being the worst, and it was more enjoyable than reading the reviews for “Showgirls” in September.
The Golden Raspberry Awards, often criticizing actors, writers, and directors, have also faced some criticism themselves. In 2005, when Halle Berry won a Razzie for her role in Catwoman, she famously showed up with the Oscar she had won for Monster’s Ball in 2001. Similarly, Sandra Bullock, upon winning a Razzie for All About Steve, humorously requested that the academy watch the movie beforehand. The following year, Bullock won an Oscar for her role in The Blind Side. Interestingly, some Razzies were withdrawn due to being too harsh, such as a nomination for Shelley Duvall in The Shining, and an entire category dedicated to Bruce Willis was even abolished.
Did Adam Sandler Deserve the Razzie?
Regardless of personal feelings towards him, it can’t be denied that Adam Sandler has built a thriving comedy career. However, it’s also fair to say that his brand of humor isn’t universally appreciated, and the movie “Just Go with It” is a comedy that some find hard to stomach. Essentially, “Just Go with It” is a film that rehashes elements from Adam Sandler’s previous projects.
Adam Sandler is known for creating numerous romantic comedies like “The Wedding Singer,” “50 First Dates,” and “Just Go with It.” This last one follows a familiar pattern in his work, as it includes collaborators such as Kevin Nealon and Dan Patrick, offering little novelty. In the movie, Sandler’s character invites Jennifer Aniston’s character to follow his plan, while at the same time inviting viewers to join him once again for the tried-and-true comedy routines that he has been using for years.
2012 stood out as an infamous year for the Golden Raspberry Awards due to Adam Sandler’s dominance. That year, his movie Jack and Jill, where he played both roles of Jack and Jill, swept all the awards in each category. However, Just Go with It only managed to win worst actor and worst director Razzies since Sandler was involved in both films as an actor and Dennis Dugan directed them both. This meant that Sandler was competing against himself in several categories. Interestingly, another of his films, Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star, for which he wrote and produced, was nominated but did not win any Razzies.
Giving Adam Sandler so many Razzies was funny to a point, but it wasn’t quite deserved. The ceremony claimed Jack and Jill was a ripoff of Glen or Glenda for the category of worst prequel, remake, rip-off, or sequel, which was quite a stretch. Even though Just Go with It copies the plot of Cactus Flower, Just Go With It wasn’t even nominated in that category, though it should have won.
Adam Sandler ranks second in terms of nominations and wins at the Golden Raspberry Awards, with Sylvester Stallone holding the top spot. Despite this, Sandler’s numerous nominations provided him with crucial feedback that helped him improve his filmmaking career. Heeded the advice, and years down the line, Sandler took on roles in films such as Uncut Gems and Hustle, with the former earning a 2020 Razzie Redeemer Award nomination for him.
Stream Just Go with It on Netflix.
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2024-11-10 05:33