Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green may as well be the marquee for any of the actress’ films since her Friends days. Just Go With It presents a welcome departure from this tired fare.
Adam Sandler plays Danny, a plastic surgeon trying to woo the woman he is infatuated with, getting caught in the lie of having an ex–wife and children in the process. He employs his best friend and co–worker, Katherine (Aniston), a frumpy, single mother who says things like “Sushi would be groovy” when men ask her out on dates, to act as his cover. Inadvertently involving Katherine’s children, the lie gets more and more convoluted until Sandler relies on the three of them to maintain their roles on a trip to Hawaii.
The combination of Aniston’s subtle humor and Sandler’s in your face kind of funny allows the two to play off each other well, creating an appealing chemistry. Like Aniston, Sandler also gives us something new, departing from his usual crassness and putting forth a genuinely hilarious performance devoid of the old character clichés. While he can’t resist a few good opportunities for crude, hyperbolic yarns, they are inserted sporadically enough that they become welcome occasions.
The Hollywood Aniston makes her cameo when Danny must make Katherine believable as the ex–wife of a wealthy plastic surgeon. Her over–the–top and somewhat sloppy performance as his snobby, pill–popping ex reminds us that a drabby–haired single mom still exists beneath the little black dress. In other words, Aniston is very good at acting like she’s acting. It is a welcome change from her usual inability to mask her celebrity self.
At times, the film takes the jokes a little too far. Nicole Kidman’s role as Katherine’s old sorority frenemy has a bit of a forced presence and takes away from the plot’s flow and energy. The film’s predictability is at some times cumbersome, reigning in the film’s potential to transcend standard romantic comedy fare. But if you do as the title suggests and just go with it, you’re bound to be entertained.
Directed by: Dennis Dugan Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler, Nicole Kidman Rated PG-13, 116 min.
