By Ned Jordan
Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) and his sister Wendy (Courtney Cox) grew up in
a small hotel owned by their father (Jonathon Pryce), who was the kind of
businessman who was too kindly and not business-minded enough. He was
eventually forced to sell his hotel to British businessman Barry Nottingham
(Richard Griffiths), but only with the promise that Nottingham would provide
executive positions for his children when they grew up. Nottingham
transformed the little hotel into a major luxury hotel, but Skeeter is only the
hotel's handyman and Wendy doesn't even have a job at the hotel, instead working
as a teacher at a local school. When she learns that her school is
closing, Wendy must travel out of town for an interview, and very reluctantly
asks Skeeter to watch his niece and nephew while she's out of town.
Skeeter's not too thrilled with the arrangement either, until he finds that the
bedtime story he tells to his niece and nephew comes true the next day.
Skeeter soon tries to work this magic to his advantage, but things don't quite
work out in the way he plans them to...
Bedtime Stories won't be mistaken for an Oscar contender and it follows a
predictable path, but if you're in the mood for something lighthearted it's a
fun little movie. Adults will find it to be a cute little movie and kids
will enjoy the fantasy element of the movie as well as the slapstick ... and
will adore the big-eyed guinea pig Bugsy. The film is pretty clever in the
way that it presents the fantasy stories and then weaves elements from those
stories into Skeeter's real-life adventures the next day. Sandler fits the
role of Skeeter perfectly, and he does a good job of reigning in his usual
antics enough that he really does come off as a bit of a never-do-well uncle
with big heart who just needs a little break. A break he finds in the
magic of his bond with his young niece and nephew.
Bedtime Stories comes in a three-disc package that gives you the film on Blu-ray,
DVD, and digital copy for use with an iPod, PSP, or other portable video device.
There aren't' many special features on the disc - you just get the standard
bloopers and behind-the-scenes features - but you wouldn't expect much more from
a light fantasy film such as Bedtime Stories. The value comes from the
fact that you can watch the movie in hi-def at home, keep a DVD in the minivan,
and load it onto an iPod for air travel entertainment. The Blu-ray version
does the film's fantasy sequences justice, so if you have the hi-def equipment
it's worth it to go with the Blu-ray version and enjoy the magic.
Final Rating:
