Expert: Barbara L. Baker - 11/27/2001

Question
I recently tried to sit through a movie titled "Big Daddy" starring Adam Sandler.

My question is, is this really funny, am I out of touch? I found nothing funny as a matter of fact I found it to be sophmoric and unintelligible. I enjoyed National Lampoon's Animal House and other movies that were considered sophmoric, but this was just not funny. What makes this funny? Or is it?
Thank you for your time,
Lewis Skiles

Answer
Dear Lewis:  I thought I'd answered this, but apparently it didn't go through, so here goes again.  

I haven't gone to see "Big Daddy," but I can already tell from the trailers,etc. that I probably won't think it is funny.  I say this because I've seen other Adam Sandler movies and I don't think they are very funny.

I don't think it is because I have no sense of humor--I teach classes in comedy, after all.  I, too, liked "Animal House"; I don't mind some sophomoric humor, or lots of slapstick, or gross jokes, etc.  Even a silly film like "Deuce Bigalow" got a chuckle or two from me.  But there is something about Sandler that really annoys me.  And I'm pretty open about comedy.

And what this points out is how personal humor is.  Some of the films I think are the funniest are not seen that way by my students.  And some modern comedy I really like, even the "stupid" comedies, but some of it falls flat.  I think it is not just because they are too sophomoric, but also trite (a cliche--someone else did it better, earlier).  Still, I have had students who think Sandler's films are hilarious.  Something must engage them (of course, most of them are pretty young, and not too experienced--will they still like it 20 years from now as I like some of the comedies I saw in my youth?  Who can say?)

I've digressed, but I hope this gives you some answer.