Adam Sandler’s own film career is spotty at best, but when you look at the films he produced under his company Happy Madison without starring in, there’s a strong argument to made that Happy Madison ought to stop producing films altogether. Whatever standard Sandler applies to how he chooses films seems to go out the window when he’s only the producer, and the list of cinematic abortions speaks to this: The House Bunny, Strange Wilderness, The Benchwarmers, Grandma’s Boy, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, and, most recently, Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star. Bucky Larson starts with an unfunny premise and then attempts to bleed it dry. The only joke this time around is on the poor sap who picks up the DVD expecting anything beyond profound disappointment and sophomoric jokes that never elicit so much as even a chuckle.
When Bucky (Nick Swardson) discovers that his parents were formerly adult film stars, he gets the idea that his destiny is to follow in their footsteps. He catches a bus to California and, being the naïve bumpkin that he is, finds himself totally out of his element. Luckily, he has the kindhearted waitress Kathy (Christina Ricci) to help him navigate the bigger world he’s stepped into. At first, Bucky’s desire to be an adult film star seems impossible because he’s one of the most poorly endowed people in the history of men everywhere, but then, washed up director Miles Deep (Don Johnson) finds audiences responding to Bucky’s total lack of sexual prowess and soon both find overnight fame.
Clearly, a few members of the cast recognize exactly how empty the film they’re starring in truly is, and so they play up their parts to try and find any redemptive comedy to pull the film back from the edge. It doesn’t work, but you have to admire them for trying. Otherwise, Swardson and Ricci run the film into the ground, which is exactly where it belongs: six feet under and forgotten.
DVD Bonus Features
Featurettes about the protagonists buckteeth, Kevin Nealon’s unfortunately wasted character, and Swardson in his role, complement a blooper reel. The extras are as disappointing as the film.
"Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star" is on sale January 17, 2012 and is rated R. Comedy. Directed by Tom Brady. Written by Adam Sandler, Allen Covert, Nick Swardson. Starring Christina Ricci, Don Johnson, Kevin Nealon, Nick Swardson, Stephen Dorff.
