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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with WILLIAM HALL
Published: 20 September 2007

Kevin James and Adam Sandler star in the
comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry

‘Don’t drop the soap,’ this film is a real washout!

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY
Directed by Dennis Dugan
Certificate 12a

THE problem with this juvenile comedy is that it’s a one-trick pony – or in this case, a one-joke movie. The joke being two New York firefighters, Chuck (Adam Sandler) and Larry (Kevin James), pretending they’re a gay couple in order to receive “domestic partner” benefits.
They embark on this perilous venture because freshly widowed Larry is worried that his two kids won’t receive life insurance if he dies in a fire.
Cue a torrent of gay gags. Their fellow firemen stop playing basketball with them, and feel nervous in the shower – even down to the oldest joke in the book: “Don’t drop the soap!” Yes, it gets that bad.
The boys, in fact, are both highly-charged heteros, and find it a struggle trying to convince the world they’re an item. “We’re riding the dude train,” Larry announces loudly, which does nothing to deter a weasel-faced insurance inspector (Steve Busceni) who is out to expose them.
Finally they call on a glamorous female lawyer (Jessica Biel) to help them defend their case, causing further problems for ladies-man Chuck when he agrees to escort her on shopping trips and wine tastings and still keep up the pretence.
The film lurches into an uncomfortable change of direction when it suddenly starts spouting gay rights sermons, leaving me bewildered by its message and its clash with unashamed locker-room humour.

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