Big Daddy (1999)

Directed by Dennis Dugan. Starring Adam Sandler, Cole & Dylan Sprouse, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart, Leslie Mann, Rob Schneider, Allen Covert, Peter Dante, Jonathan Loughran, Joseph Bologna, Josh Mostel, Kristy Swanson. [PG-13]

Irresponsible slacker Sonny Koufax (Sandler) unwittingly inherits a young kid (Sprouse) who shows up at his doorstep; Sonny initially wants nothing to do with him, but eventually grows fond of taking care of the little squirt. As in his earlier film The Wedding Singer, Sandler expands his infantile, volatile misfit schtick to include a little heart (or, in this case, warm and gooey sentiment); results are highly uneven, thoroughly predictable, but occasionally endearing, even though the gags are usually as lazy as its protagonist. It probably doesn’t bode well that Schneider gets more chuckles than the toe-headed tyke, and the groanworthy misses outweigh the ones just just inspire shrugs. Adams is appealing in a rather thankless love interest role, but Stewart is thoroughly wasted as a low-key straight man. For masochists, Sheryl Crow covers “Sweet Child O’ Mine” on the soundtrack.

42/100