Review by John Delia, Jr
Blind dates can be a nightmare, especially when both parties go into the date thinking that it will fail. Blended shows a different view of putting two different families together with hope they somehow can sort it all out and become one. If you like movies with a lot of good comedy and romance than this one is for you.
Lauren Reynolds (Drew Barrymore) is recently divorced with two kids and owns her own business organizing closets. Jim Friedman (Adam Sandler) who has three kids recently lost his wife to cancer and works at the local “Dick’s Sporting Goods”. Mutual friends set them up and they go out on a blind date. They meet at the local “Hooters” and things look bleak from the beginning. Lauren assumes Jim will be a loser because of the way he dresses and the restaurant he chooses. From there the date does not go well and it seems as if they both want it to fail. Finally, Jim pulls the emergency call excuse to get out of the date early.
Jim and Lauren find that they keep running into each other especially when needing advice from someone of the opposite sex. One day Lauren’s friend and co-worker Jen (Wendi McLendon-Covey) has to give up a vacation for couples with their families to Africa, and offers it to Lauren. Jim learns that Jen was dating his boss Dick and since Jen can’t go Jim gets the vacation for his family. However, when both families arrive in Africa they discover that they have to share everything.
Director Frank Coraci does an excellent job with the storyline giving a different view of how a new relationship can come about. Single after forty with children can be tough for most people and trying to find another soul mate can be even more difficult, especially with kids. Using a good measure of comedy, Coraci gives us a fun look into the lives of two people who can find romance even in the most difficult situations. Sandler knows how to work with Barrymore as they have shared the screen with 50 First Dates and here they kick it up a notch by adding the element of children.
Release Date: May 23, 2014
Cast: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Bella Thorne, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Emma Fuhrmann, Kyle Red Silverstein, Zak Henri, Braxton Beckham, Terry Crews, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Abdoulaye NGom, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kevin Nealon.
Director: Frank Coraci
Writer: Ivan Menchell, and Clare Sera.
Runtime: 117 minutes (1 hour 57 minutes)
Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and language
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
