I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry

Variety - USA - A Universal release, in association with Relativity Media, of a Happy Madison/Shady Acres production. Produced by Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, Tom Shadyac, Michael Bostick. Executive producers, Barry Bernardi, Lew Gallo, Ryan Kavanaugh. Co-producers, Nick Swardson, Allen Covert, Kevin Grady. Directed by Dennis Dugan. Screenplay, Barry Fanaro, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor.

Chuck Levine - Adam Sandler
Larry Valentine - Kevin James
Alex McDonough - Jessica Biel
Captain Tucker - Dan Aykroyd
Duncan - Ving Rhames
Clint Fitzer - Steve Buscemi
Renaldo Pinera - Nicholas Turturro
Steve - Allen Covert

Relentlessly juvenile and awash in stereotypes, "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" is the kind of buddy comedy Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau might have starred in 40 years ago, when the material would have felt less dated, if no less silly. Kevin James and Adam Sandler hardly approach that standard, and it will be slightly depressing if a barrage of schoolyard gay jokes passes for "edgy" a quarter-century after "Victor/Victoria." Taken for what it is, pic should find its sweet spot somewhere between the easily offended and very easily amused, providing Universal with a modest summer tryst.

Produced by Sandler's Happy Madison and Tom Shadyac's Shady Acres shingles, "Chuck and Larry" miscasts Sandler as a ladies man who's Mr. February on a firefighters calendar, bedding women in multiples of two and four. Hey, it's nice to be the boss.

In another incongruous pairing, "Sideways" writing team Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor join "Golden Girls" scribe Barry Fanaro and director Dennis Dugan (who previously helmed Sandler's "Happy Gilmore"). Pic initially plays like a screwball comedy with a bit more smarts, but ultimately, the more banal sitcom impulses win out.