The Film
Most children's movies, especially Disney movies, require a degree of suspension of disbelief. Bedtime Stories is about that suspension, but unfortunately it requires a bit more than it deserves. Thankfully, it is kind of sweet, and Adam Sandler manages the jump from childish adult humor to childish child humor pretty well. An excellent performance by Russell Brand as the quirky (clearly a pothead, can I say that in a Disney review?) best friend also helps keep this film afloat.
The story is built around Skeeter Bronson (Sandler), the handyman at a luxury hotel that happens to be built over the motel Bronson's father used to run. Bronson is the kind of guy who glides along in life with no breaks, until he suddenly gets caught up in a mysterious stream of good luck.
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His luck -- and here's the suspension of disbelief part -- comes about when elements of bedtime stories he tells to his niece and nephew, start to come true. Some of them are merely bizarre coincidences, while others are just bizarre (such as people spontaneously erupting into the hokey pokey). And that's my biggest problem with the movie. Viewers never get any good explanation for the strange connections between the bedtime stories and their real, often strangely interpreted, manifestations. The hotel wasn't built on an ancient holy site; Bronson was never slimed with radiated goo, and aliens aren't hiding in the background quietly manipulating his life. We just have to shrug it off and accept it. I have trouble with that.
If I didn't have trouble with that, then I could really appreciate the charming niece and nephew, the blooming romance between Bronson and the babysitter (Keri Russell) and the excitable (and occasionally gender-bending) Brand. If I could get past the loose premise then I'd love the rich fantasy sequences, and bodily fluid humor (especially the booger monster) and the bug-eyed guinea pig.
On the other hand, this is a kids' movie, and critics like me need to take a step back and just let it be a kids' movie. That's what suspension of disbelief lets you do. My kids, by the way, loved the film.
Find out what the star considers his own favorite bedtime stories in our Q&A with Adam Sandler.
The Video
The Blu-ray edition is presented in 1080p, 2.35:1. The transfer quality is first rate, as I've come to expect from prime Disney releases. The movie is awash in vibrant colors that come out brilliantly on a large screen. There are few dark scenes, save for some rooftop camping, but even then, black level detail was fine. The high definition detail was precise enough for me to realize how much Keri Russell has aged since she starred in Felicity (to be fair, so have I). The digitally enhanced, bugged-eyed cavy looked great in close ups.
The Sound
Audio is offered in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz/24-bit). The dialog and details were clear throughout, with a good soundtrack. Surround sound was used sporadically. In the gumball rain scene, the surrounds didn't seem to be utilized to their fullest extent, but the gladiator scene took good advantage of the surround channels creating an immersive soundscape that brought us right into the middle of the action.
The Extras
Disney didn't go all out with the bonus features on Bedtime Stories. We get bloopers and deleted scenes; a behind-the-scenes look at working with the movie's stars; a featurette on the filming of the flying space battle, and a featurette on the guinea pig. The disc is set up so you don't necessarily have to navigate to the special features--just let the credits run through and all the extras automatically play.
In the Blu-ray package you also get a standard definition DVD of the movie, plus another disc with a digital copy that's compatible with iTunes or Windows Media Player. That's good value for your high def dollars.
The disc is also BD Live-enabled which offers Movie Chat, Movie mail, Movie Challenge and Movie Rewards.
Final Thoughts
Bedtime Stories may not be destined to be a classic, but then, neither was Little Nicky or You Don't Mess with the Zohan. Along with Reign Over Me, this film proves that Sandler has more in him than fart and crotch jokes. If you don't take it seriously, it's a pretty darn entertaining movie, especially if you're in the target demographic--anyone under 12.
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