Grandma's Boy (2006)

When The Nerds Run The Asylum

- As what could be expected from any Adam Sandler-produced comedy, Grandma's Boy is predictable and so dumb that it is sickening. Allen Covert stars as Alex in the film, a 35 year old pot-smoking video game tester who, after losing his apartment, has no other option but to move in with his grandma Lilly ("Everybody Loves Raymond"'s Doris Roberts) and her two roommates. Some usual plot turns occur: he has trouble adjusting to his new living situation which in turn makes him have trouble at work which is particularly bad because he is trying to nail one of the office's new consultants (Linda Cardellini). Throw a weird boss, an almost alien company star, a really nerdy best friend, a few scenes at burnt-out pot dealer's place, a really big party scene and an original video game that Alex is trying to finish by himself into the mix you have Grandma's Boy in its entirety.

Allen Covert does make a marginally good lead, Linda Cardellini is cute enough for her role as the just-one-of-the-nerds office consultant Samantha, and a few scenes do manage to squirt out a chuckle or two but none of that makes Grandma's Boy worth much of anyone's time. Most of the supposed funny "jokes" or "gags" or whatever you want to call them are nothing but "humor" that would make anyone at National Lampoons embarrassed to watch. The cast is mostly terrible, with Joel Moore being incredibly unfunny in his role as video game mastermind J.P., you could find more class at a hot dog eating convention, and the entire film actually manages to be boring on top of not funny or substantial - this film simply has no value at all.

But I suppose that I should be looking at the sunny side of things.... At least Grandma's Boy did something for someone: Adam Sandler was able to get a few paychecks to his out-of-work friends David Spade, Kevin Nealon, and Rob Schneider.


CBC Rating: 3/10