The Cobbler (2015) stars Adam Sandler in an offbeat drama comedy. The Cobbler tries to stitch a fantastical and comical premise with family heartbreak. Max's father (Dustin Hoffman) has left his mom, who suffers from dementia and can't quite figure out where her husband has gone) and a plot about an evil property developer (Ellen Barkin) forcibly gentrifying the neighborhood. And it feels, if you'll pardon the obvious wordplay, cobbled together.
The Cobbler though does show that Sandler can still give a solid performance when money is far from involved. He is solid, and a supporting cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Melonie Diaz and Method Man are all very watchable. But the movie is never able to find its footing, and when it finally meanders towards a jaw-dropping twist, what goodwill it might have collected along the way is soundly given the boot. Watch for the performances but overall the Cobbler struggles and what we thought of potential does not quite fully live up to it. ==================================================================== ====== After a rewatch (03/11/17') the Cobbler has a slight different feel. It is quite average but in a somewhat way enjoyable in the least. Seeing several comparisons to Click (2006) but this film is far from the quality and overall entertainment of Click. On a second viewing, this film plays as more as a dramedy, with very few laughs but some decent moments. Things don't feel as forced but given the plot, the climax and high points could have been better. The ending twist is quite similar to Click, but here is not as great. Rating changed from 3/10 to 6/10.
The Cobbler though does show that Sandler can still give a solid performance when money is far from involved. He is solid, and a supporting cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Melonie Diaz and Method Man are all very watchable. But the movie is never able to find its footing, and when it finally meanders towards a jaw-dropping twist, what goodwill it might have collected along the way is soundly given the boot. Watch for the performances but overall the Cobbler struggles and what we thought of potential does not quite fully live up to it. ==================================================================== ====== After a rewatch (03/11/17') the Cobbler has a slight different feel. It is quite average but in a somewhat way enjoyable in the least. Seeing several comparisons to Click (2006) but this film is far from the quality and overall entertainment of Click. On a second viewing, this film plays as more as a dramedy, with very few laughs but some decent moments. Things don't feel as forced but given the plot, the climax and high points could have been better. The ending twist is quite similar to Click, but here is not as great. Rating changed from 3/10 to 6/10.