Jack and Jill
Unlike many of my critical brethren, I have in the past found merit in Adam Sandler's comedy, and not just in his cute Wedding Singer days. As recently as February I sat through Just Go with It without suffering much. I even laughed some; you could say I just went with it. That proved impossible with Jack and Jill, in which Jack (Adam Sandler), a commercial director, endures a holiday visit from the embarrassing twin sister he loathes, played by Sandler in drag. The question arises: Does Sandler have it in for some female relative — an aunt, grandmother, sister or cousin? Was there an elementary-school incident during which he was beaten by a frump with cankles and a tendency to whine and lisp? The level of anger in his portrayal of an idiotic, crass, needy Jewish lady from the Bronx suggests some deep-rooted trauma somewhere. Or maybe he hates us, the audience. It certainly felt that way.