“‘… Chuck & Larry,’ a marriage of borderline offensive and borderline funny
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| James and Sandler |
“I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry”
Comedy is the spoonful of sugar that helps a message of tolerance go down in the newfangled version of 1969’s “The Gay Deceivers.” Brooklyn firefighters Chuck (Adam Sandler) and Larry (Kevin James) play gay to correct a silly bureaucratic bungle.
Larry hasn’t gotten over his wife’s death. Not allowed to change his life insurance beneficiary to his kids (the young son is way into musical theater), he decides to take advantage of New York’s newly approved domestic partner benefits. So he registers his friend Chuck, a swinging bachelor who only swings one way.
Complications force them to defend their charade in court, bringing other gays out of the woodwork and various closets, and introducing Chuck to a hot lawyer (Jessica Biel).
Walking a mile lightly in someone else’s loafers shows Chuck and Larry the discrimination gays face in American society. But their reaction, like their affection, is pictured in violent terms.
Trying to entertain, enlighten and let overall positiveness outweigh occasional political incorrectness, ” Chuck & Larry” is more successful than you’d expect at an impossible task.
This marriage of the borderline offensive and the borderline funny can go into a time capsule to show the limits of America’s acceptance in 2007.
Grade: C+
Opens July 20 in wide release.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 13, 2007