‘Chuck and Larry’ divorced from hilarity

There are few who have the talent for making even the most serious subjects into beautiful comedies. In old movies like “The Birdcage” and “In & Out,” or newer TV series like “Rescue Me,” the genius of a few men turn twisted situations into genuinely hilarious stories.

Adam Sandler’s “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry” makes these past actors’ and directors’ already considerable feats seem even more fantastic. Unlike previous Sandler movies, “Chuck & Larry” feels like a yo-yo, bringing the audience in and out of the movie unexpectedly.

Chuck (Sandler) and Larry (Kevin James) are best friends and willing to do whatever is needed to help the other out, even if that means taking their friendship to a new and very inappropriate level that neither is prepared for.

This premise should have kept audiences rolling in the aisles, but the humorous atmosphere dies off as the audience becomes engrossed in the story of two men faking a marriage.

With little emphasis on plot and back story, the writing for “Chuck & Larry” leaves something to be desired. Larry’s predicament is that he needs to marry someone so his kids will recieve his full pension after his death.

Chuck is hardly worth mentioning because he does not contribute to the plot at all. He has no outstanding problems and seemingly no reason to compel him to join this charade.

Jessica Biel’s character is unfortunately forgettable — except for her physical presence in the movie. She was written in solely to endanger Chuck’s cover as a gay man and give the straight men in the audience something to ogle.

This does not mean she is two-dimensional. She puts her own two cents in, going on a tirade mid-movie. This, however, does not bring her character to life.

The secondary characters somehow manage to have even less of a reason to exist, and yet despite this, they carry the movie further than Sandler or James. The best acting comes from Ving Rhames, who portrays a mysterious and angry firefighter introduced early but forgotten for half of the movie. Rhames’ secret is the catalyst for the funniest scenes in the movie, making him more important to the survival of a rapidly failing movie than anyone else.

Along with Rhames is Dan Aykroyd, whose familiar dead-pan comedy lightens the mood, particularly after a miniature lecture over morals.

The most surprising and enjoyable members of the cast are Eric and Tori Valentine (Cole Morgen and Shelby Adamowsky), Larry’s children who steal the show whenever they step in front of the camera. Both kids are obviously and awkwardly gay, and play to this idea so well even some of the most flamboyant of the cast cannot hold a candle to them.

Sadly, even with all the talent that somehow keeps this film afloat under the heavy weight of Sandler and James, the faults of this comedy are laid wide open by the middle of the film, truly killing it. Throughout the whole affair, race, class, gender and even homosexuality are so stereotyped that it becomes more burdensome than humorous.

To make matters worse, this is not unrepentant stereotyping, which may have kept a hint that it was not some Hollywood cash scam. If the cast isn’t insulting someone, they are defending and preaching about what they just disparaged, pandering to a “politically correct” crowd that would have never even entered the theater in the first place.

“Chuck & Larry” had the opportunity to make a statement — albeit a humorous one. Instead it falls flat, disappointing audiences.

Grade C