Bedtime Stories

4 Stars
Rating: G
Stars: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Russell Brand, Courtney Cox

What's the story?
For Skeeter Bronson (Sandler), a sweet-hearted semi-loser, there seems to be no bright side to life. His late father's petite hotel in Las Vegas is now a state-of-the-art multi-story hotel called the Sunny Vista, and Skeeter is nothing but its handyman. However, when he suddenly finds himself watching his niece and nephew for a week, Skeeter's life is turned upside down. When the humorous tales he tells the kids (mainly his aspirations with the kids' creative input), mysteriously come true, Skeeter takes advantage of the phenomenon to get his life back on track. From knights in shining armour to cowboys, Skeeter must come up with an idea for Sunny Vista's second hotel venture and also win the heart of elementary school teacher Jill (Keri Russell).

Why see it?
Adam Sandler is hilarious in his more adult movies, but in his first true family film, he is surprisingly delightful. Bedtime Stories is a twist on romantic and heroic tales told from both an adult and child's point of view and opens up the door to the joys of love and imagination. The cast fit into their roles flawlessly, and with director Adam Shankman's credibility soaring with hits including A Walk to Remember, Step Up and Hairspray, Bedtime Stories is a refreshing addition to Walt Disney Pictures.

Problems?
Although Bedtime Stories is cute, it is intended for a younger crowd and will not necessarily appeal to older audiences with its mild humour and fairy-tale plot. Sandler fans who are hoping for similarities to his previous films like The Waterboy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and Click, might find themselves disappointed in this drastic change of genre.

All in All:
A delightfully entertaining family friendly film that caters mostly to younger audiences.