Directed by: Frank Coraci
Written by:Steve Koren, Mark O’Keefe
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken,  David Hasselhoff, Henry Winkler, Sean Astin
Released: June 22, 2006
Grade: B

Michael Newman (Sandler) is a man many of us will relate to.  He is caught up in the contradiction that is work and family.  Michael wants to work hard so that he can provide for his family.  Unfortunately, the more successful he becomes, the less spare time he has to spend with his wife, Donna (Beckinsale) and their two young children.

Frustrated by the number of remote controls in his home, Michael goes in search of a universal remote which will work on any device.  At a large bath and bedding store (don’t ask me why he goes there), Michael meets an eccentric salesman named Morty (Walken) who has such a remote.  This unique remote control is the latest model and isn’t even available for the public.  However, Morty is prepared give it to Michael because he thinks it’s just what he needs.

Later that night, Michael realises its potential.  This remote control not only controls the television but it controls his life.  He can rewind and look back on his childhood.  He can change the language in which he speaks.  He can mute his barking dog.  He can fast-forward through his tiring days in the office.  This invention is fulfilling the ultimate dream.

That is until side effects start developing.  The remote takes on a mind of its own and Michael finds himself unable to control his life.  The ramifications are huge and Michael will soon be wishing that he could return to his regular existence.

Click is a strange film.  From the trailers and television advertisements, I was expecting another silly Adam Sandler comedy.  This is exactly what’s delivered in the first half of the film.  There are many laughs to be had watching Sandler enhance his own life at the expense of others.  You’ll be thinking what you’d do with the same opportunity.

The second half of the film is much darker however.  The jokes dry up and Michael’s disintegrating life takes Click to a more poignant, emotional level.  This caught me by surprise.  Don’t expect a comedic ending in the same vein as Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore.  The gloomy Adam Sandler you’ll see on screen is more reminiscent of his performances in Punch Drunk Love and Spanglish.

The film deserves points for its boldness but I’m not sure it all fits together.  Late in the picture, Christopher Walken’s true identity is revealed in an attempt to show why Michael’s life has turned pear shaped.  This made little sense to me at the time and made absolutely no sense when I saw the ending.  I like the overall idea of the film but would have preferred a smarter screenplay.