Review: 'Jack And Jill' Is A Double Disappointment

By Michael Lopez

Unfortunately these days, one Adam Sandler is bad enough. His latest string of comedies (Zookeeper, Grown Ups) haven't quite lived up to their potential and we're sorry to say that Jack and Jill is twice as disappointing. That's because Sandler plays two roles here and neither one comes off very funny.

Following the mold of Tyler Perry's Madea movies, Adam's throwing on a dress in an attempt to get laughs. Though the concept hasn't been too inspired as of late, we were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But the second he steps on screen as "Jill", the joke just doesn't fly.

Jack and Jill’s storyline follows two very different twins who wind up living under the same roof for the holidays. Jack is a career-centric family man who seems to have a very short fuse when it comes to his identical sister. Jill is obnoxious, flamboyant, and very opinionated, which (as you can imagine) causes all kinds of trouble for Jack and his family.

The big focus of the movie winds up being Jill's search for Mr. Right. And, in a move we find very hard to believe, Al Pacino (playing himself) soon falls madly in love with lady Sandler. From there, things take a turn for the ridiculous, with silly scenes at Pacino's home, a Lakers' game, and even a cruise ship.

In between it all, we get to enjoy a few laughs with the movie's only saving grace, Eugenio Derbez. Sporting a toothy grin and a cheesy catchphrase, Derbez steals his scenes as Felipe the groundskeeper (and Felipe's bug-eyed abuelita). But we have to admit, a few of Eugenio's "Mexican gardener" jokes do go a bit too far in the racial stereotype department.

Of course, this is now what we've come to expect from typical Adam Sandler films. The problems with Jack and Jill are the same problems that have plagued his last several movies; tired jokes, uninspired plots, and cheap toilet humor that's been done a million times. We don't care who you put in a dress or a grandma costume, just give them something funny to say while they're doing it.

Bottom line: To be honest, we kind of had a feeling Jack and Jill would disappoint. Adam Sandler's comedy track record is a bit stale at the moment and this movie is not helping things. Neither the male or female versions of Adam get many laughs and Al Pacino's talents are totally wasted. And for all you die-hard Eugenio Derbez fans, save your money and wait for his sitcom.

What did you think of Jack and Jill? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Adam Sandler, Al Pacino, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Eugenio Derbez, Jack and Jill, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás