‘Chuck & Larry' exploits gay stereotypes
'Chuck & Larry' exploits gay stereotypes

By Matthew Price

Published: July 20, 2007

Adam Sandler and Kevin James hook up in "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry,” playing two firefighters who pretend to be domestic partners for the benefits package.

Chuck Levine (Sandler) is a ladies man who thinks nothing of his womanizing. His best friend and co-worker Larry Valentine (James) is a baseball-loving father of two who was widowed more than a year ago.

When Larry finds out he's waited too long to make his children the beneficiary of his life insurance policy after his wife's death, he gets worried. As a New York firefighter, he faces death every day; he can't go on thinking his children may be unprotected.

After Larry saves Chuck's life, Chuck promises he'd do anything for Larry. When he sees an article about domestic partnerships, Larry proposes that Chuck fill out some paperwork in order to become his domestic partner. This will ensure someone will take care of Larry's children in case of his death.

Chuck doesn't want to go along with it but eventually does; part of the code of "Chuck & Larry” is that firefighters will do anything for one another.

However, their partnership raises some questions. The City of New York sends out an investigator to determine if the relationship is real.

Despite Chuck and Larry's doing exactly what they're accused of, the movie hopes you root for them anyway.

Steve Buscemi is the aggressive inspector, digging through the trash and declaring it "not gay enough.”

Chuck and Larry enlist the help of lawyer Alex McDonough (Jessica Biel) to help them defend their case. Chuck falls for Alex, further complicating the web of deceit the friends are weaving.

Chuck and Larry go to Canada to formalize their relationship with a wedding, as Alex says this could deter the bureaucrats. Rob Schneider portrays quickie-marriage administrator Morris Takechi, who marries the pair in Canada. Takechi is an over-the-top Asian parody that would have been uncomfortable in the 1960s and is now just offensive.

Biel is beautiful, and has some talent for comedy, though this movie mainly asks her to be set dressing. Since Chuck is gay, apparently there's no reason she can't strip to her bra and panties in front of him and have him feel her breasts, even if he is a client. Scenes such as this serve mainly to remind that Sandler served as a producer on the film.

The movie strains credulity throughout, with two-dimensional characters and unbelievable contrivances; the film exists only as a vehicle for easy gags and childish humor. While Sandler has obvious talent for comedy and drama, neither is tested in this case.

"Chuck & Larry” wants to be a comedy about acceptance but instead comes off as stereotypical and patronizing.

— Matthew Price

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