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 he ‘80s are back with “The Wedding Singer,” a star
vehicle for former SNL’er Adam Sandler as a happy-go-lucky wedding singer who
suffers a nervous breakdown after his fiancée dumps him on his wedding day.
There is enough ‘80s trivia, music, and fashion in “Singer” that it would
take multiple viewings to get them all. In that respect, writer Tim Herlihy’s
breezy and fun screenplay is right on the mark.
“Singer” is a very predictable film from beginning to
end, although the filmmakers, including Sandler and director Frank Coraci, seem
to know it. The fun of “Singer” is to try to catch as many ‘80s reference
as possible and hum to the familiar pop tunes that were at the height of their
popularity back in that decade. As a ‘90s child, I have a slight interest in
all things ‘80s, but it was a pleasure to see just how much the filmmakers
were enjoying themselves.
Sandler does good work as Robbie Hart, the wedding singer
in question. Sandler has an easy rapport with co-star Drew Barrymore as Julia
Sullivan. The two meet while doing weddings together (he sings, she’s a
waitress) and discovers they have a lot in common. Since both are about to get
married, they approach their relationship as a friendship. But after Robbie’s
wedding plans fall apart, and Julia is slowly discovering that her own fiancé
isn’t exactly the best catch… Well, you know how it’s going to end. Like
it’s soundtrack, the plot of “Singer” is a throwback to the shallowness of
the ‘80s. An unapologetic throwback, natch.
Sandler and Barrymore are both clearly having a ball and
enjoying themselves and each other, but it’s the movie’s background
characters that provide the most laughs. There’s Alexis Arquette as George,
Robbie’s piano player who dresses up as Boy George (of the ‘80s band Culture
Club) and can only sing one song. (A Culture Club song, of course.) Steve
Buscemi shows up early on as a disgruntled best man at a wedding, and then
reappears later, both times providing the movie’s best laughs. Another laugh
comes when a freshly-dumped Robbie goes back to work and ruins a wedding with
his misery. There is also a rapping grandma for good measure.
The ‘80s references are a hoot, and Sandler avoids a lot
of screaming and using the weird voices that he’s so fond of in his later
films (“The
Waterboy” and “Little
Nicky” comes to mind). Here, Sandler seems
more human and thus more vulnerable, although it should be said he has a
terrible singing voice.
“Singer” is a harmless little film. It’s funny and
sweet and never fails to entertain. It’s also highly predictable, is not very
original, but so what?
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