MOVIE MONDAY - BEDTIME STORIES

“Never work with animals or children.” – WC Fields
 
We watched a movie on the hotel cable TV while we were away. It was not really our choice, it corresponded with the time we had available and what was on at the time, and seeing how it seemed light and fluffy and not requiring much concentration we sat through it. Nothing special, gave us a few smiles rather than belly laughs and it helped to pass the time. The film was targeted towards children, a little in the mould of Roald Dahl’s “Matilda”, but whereas “Matilda” was innovative and funny and wickedly amusing, this movie we watched was more like the Hollywood cookie cutter movies. There were some mischievous children involved and an adorable (?) animal involved, but the movie was very much Adam Sandler’s own.
 
The film was the Adam Shankman 2008 “Bedtime Stories”, starring Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Courteney Cox, Teresa Palmer, Jonathan Morgan Heit and Laura Ann Kesling. Even though we re not Adam Sandler fans, he handled the role well and interacted well with the children and the animals, managing to hold onto his own, despite WC Fields’ injunction!
 
The plot centres on Skeeter Bronson (Sandler), the son of a small hotel owner who is promised as a child by his father Marty to be the manager of the family hotel. Economic difficulties force Marty to sell the hotel to Mr Nottingham (Griffiths) who has the hotel chain Nottingham Hotels. 25 years later, Mr. Nottingham plans to build a new hotel and wishes to appoint another man, the fawning Kendall to become the manager, because he is dating his daughter (Palmer). Skeeter’s sister (Cox) asks him to watch her kids, because the school at which she is the principal is being closed and she is looking for a job in Arizona.
 
The first night, Skeeter tells a bedtime story taking place in medieval times, with some additions from his nephew and niece. It comes true. Mr. Nottingham gives Skeeter a shot at the manager position because Skeeter gives him some insightful comments that Kendall did not have the nous to see. The next night, at the hotel, he tells another story set in the Old West, and he expectantly waits for it to come true, however, things don’t go according to plan... The night after that, out on a campfire, he tells the kids another story set in ancient Greece, and he ends up falling for his sister’s friend and colleague Jill (Russell). The last night, he tells them a story set in deep space, and unfortunately makes the discovery, and his nephew and niece change the ending to him being hit by a gigantic ball of fire. Nevertheless, not all is lost – this is a feel-good movie after all.

The film should be enjoyable for families with young kids and perfect for a rainy weekend as the family gathers around the TV for some entertainment together.