REVIEW: The Do-Over (2016)

The following is a review of The Do-Over, a film by Steven Brill.

The Do-Over is the second of four Netflix original films starring Adam Sandler. The first film in the big Netflix-Sandler deal was The Ridiculous Six, which I think was the worst film of 2015. That said, though, I do think Sandler is a talented comedian, and he has shown his talent in the past. I’m always intrigued by Sandler-films, and I’ve actually been pretty excited for The Do-Over for a while now. Sadly, I have to say that The Do-Over is another disappointing Sandler-film. 

The Do-Over follows Charlie (played by David Spade), a middle-aged man in a loveless marriage, and his old-friend Max (played by Adam Sandler) as they decide to fake their own deaths. The only problem is that the people that they stole their new identities from are in even bigger problems than they could imagine.

Let’s start with the positive notes: The Do-Over is funnier than The Ridiculous Six, and I do think you can get something out of Spade and Sandler’s interaction. But this film really bored me. Tiresome, tedious, dull – whatever – this film didn’t grab me at all. To be perfectly honest with you, I couldn’t wait for it to end. I also thought that a lot of the plot points were predictable.

The movie really felt like more of an excuse for Sandler and his friends to take a vacation than an actual attempt at making a great comedy. I can’t recommend this film, sadly. Now, is it better or worse than The Ridiculous Six? I don’t think that it’s worse, but it isn’t much better. When I was watching The Do-Over I didn’t think that it was quite as offensive as The Ridiculous Six. But The Do-Over is terribly disappointing, dull, and somewhat predictable.

4 out of 10

– I’m Jeffrey Rex