Just Go With It

“Just Go with It,” the new comedy starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, surprises with ongoing laughs, comic appearances and Hollywood self-mockery.

The movie begins with Danny (Sandler), a cardiology student, who learns of a terrible fate on his wedding day. Leaving the altar, wedding ring still on, he goes to a bar and picks up the hottest girl in the place. This incident inspires him to get a nose job, switch to plastic surgery as a profession and, for the next twenty years, remain single while continuing to wear the ring to attract sympathetic women that he sleeps with and then leaves.

Until, one night, he meets the woman he falls for – a gorgeous twenty-something blonde named Palmer (Brooklyn Decker, “Ugly Betty”). After a romantic night on the beach, Palmer finds Danny’s fake wedding ring in his jean pocket. She is shocked and angry, so Danny weaves a story that he’s about to get divorced. In steps Aniston, as Katherine, Danny’s medical assistant and single mom to a young daughter and son. She agrees to temporarily pretend to be Danny’s soon to be ex-wife and, shortly after, her children, Maggie (Bailee Madison, “Wizards of Waverly Place”) and Michael (Griffin Gluck, “Sideways”) get spun into the web of lies as well, yet not without some serious negotiation.

Part of the deal includes swimming with dolphins in Hawaii, something Michael repeats, often, as a desire and, eventually Danny gives in, footing the bill for the entire clan – Katherine, both kids, Palmer and even Danny’s cousin Eddie (Nick Swardson, “Reno 911”) all joining the paradise-bound party. What could possibly go wrong?

For starters, everyone has to keep their stories and accents straight, including Michael’s Bruno impression. Additionally, Katherine runs into her high school nemesis – Devlin Adams – portrayed with perfect pretentiousness by none other than Oscar winner Nicole Kidman. Her love interest? Dave Matthews, playing Ian Maxtone Jones, the man who invented the iPad. And, of course, to complicate things further, there’s the chemistry that arises between Katherine and Danny.

Given the silly trailers, and the story’s inevitable outcome, “Just Go with It,” released as the date movie in time for the big romantic Valentine’s weekend, could easily be overlooked by a finicky audience completely turned off by America’s devolution of the romantic comedy over the past decade.

While the Brits’ masterpiece “Love Actually,” with its A-list ensemble cast, showed a depth of characters and intelligence of complex emotions, all showcased against the backdrop of historical London, America’s reply, last year’s “Valentine’s Day,” felt more superficial, especially set in sunny and carefree Los Angeles. “Just Go with It” falls into an entirely different comedic place: the gorgeous scenery – including the Hawaiian Islands and both Aniston and Decker in bikini shots – combined with continuous and truly funny comedy result in lovely escapism. While the movie refrains from hitting any deep notes, it doesn’t pretend to. It simply keeps the theater laughing.

Aniston and Sandler, friends for two decades, have a connection, banter and rhythm – at 116 minutes, the comedy never feels slow. Also, Sandler avoids his typical man-child performance and, instead, both he and Aniston glide through the movie with great ease. Additionally, SNL veterans Kevin Nealon and Rachel Dratch deliver laughs in their respective scenes. Even Heidi Montag makes a plastic-surgery implied appearance. And, Mario Joyner (“Everybody Hates Chris”) nails his brief yet memorable role as Henderson, Katherine’s new hairdresser. That Aniston and Montag both make fun of the very things that first made them famous gives the viewers a certain satisfaction: ah, the actors are all in on the gig and they get that their celebrity-addicted fans get it, too.

Inside humor, lovely scenery and smooth performances by Hollywood pros. This Valentine’s Day, make a date, and then just go with it.

DIRECTOR: Dennis Dugan SCREENWRITERS: Allan Loeb, Timothy Dowling PRODUCERS: Barry Bernardi, Allen Covert CAST: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Bailee Madison, Griffin Gluck MPAA RATING: PG-13