Murder Mystery isn’t another mind-numbing Sandler comedy. It’s actually a pretty fun watch.
Murder Mystery (Film) Synopsis
Police sergeant Nick Spitz brings his wife of 15 years, Audrey, to Europe for a holiday. Thus finally fulfilling a promise he made during their wedding. While flying to Malaga, Audrey befriends billionaire Charles Cavendish who invites the couple to join him on his family’s yacht for a wedding celebration. Things quickly turn dark on the yacht when after announcing a drastic change in his will, Cavendish’s even-richer uncle is brutally murdered. With the affluent guests then dying one by one, Nick and Audrey are suspected by the French police of being the murderers. The couple has to rely on all their sleuthing skills to solve the Cluedo-like mystery.
Snappy Review
I’d put money on this. Nine out of ten online movie forums wouldn’t have anything good to say about Adam Sandler. While the man has received praise for Punch-Drunk Love, Funny People, and so on, most viewers remember him as the personality being atrocities such as Jack and Jill and You Don’t Mess with the Zohan.
In my case, I considered his name synonymous with brain-dead humour for many years. During this period, I actively avoided any movie he’s remotely tagged to.
As for Jennifer Aniston, well, she could be enjoyable to watch. But when she reverts to the Rachel persona, that could be rather brrrrrrrr! Agree? Humourous for five minutes, but an absolute drag beyond half an hour.
For the above reasons, I was inclined to skip Murder Mystery and would have done so had Netflix not notified me, twice, on both my phones. Surprise, surprise, the movie turned out not to be half as bad as I thought it would be. Actually, I dare say I quite enjoyed it.
What worked for me, first and foremost, was the absence of any absurd, over-the-top gags. You know, the sort that really makes you groan because they are so mind-numbingly stupid. (Or disgusting)
This aside, there was also Sandler and Aniston’s surprisingly amiable and believable portrayal of a lower-middle income couple caught in something way beyond their lifestyles and pay grade.
Now, I’m not saying all such couples would behave the way they did. Murder Mystery being a comedy, there was naturally still a good deal of exaggeration and make-belief. What I found engaging is instead, the couple’s overt zest for free gourmet food and a high society whodunnit. In a way, doesn’t this reflect the guilty pleasure we feel when watching certain types of movies?
I confess I will behave in a similar fashion if ever caught in their sort of situation. Heck, a scandalous murder chain in the French Riviera? I would even be more enthusiastic than Aniston’s hairdresser character! I would positively be hounding every one of those suspects!
Read my other Snappy Movie Reviews.
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