Bedtime Stories, starring the adorably goofy Adam Sandler, tells the tale of a lowly hotel maintenance man who has been dealt of a raw deal in life. Things have not worked out for Skeeter Bronson (Sandler) like he had planned them to. His father had set a plan of action in place for his life and that plan, over the course of 20 some years, had epically failed. Through no fault of his own, Skeeter has been overlooked, and looked down upon, he basically had become the butt of every joke. He was in line to become the manager of a fine hotel, but no one seemed to want to keep good on that promise. His life as it stands isn’t what he wants it to be and he isn’t sure where to turn. Unexpectedly, he is asked to take the "night shift" watching over his young niece and nephew (Richard Griffiths, Theresa Palmer) while his sister Wendy (Courtney Cox) is away.

       At bedtime, the children plead for story time and Skeeter obliges. He tells the fairy tale version of what his life has become, but in this story, he changes the rules. Telling his own story to the children gives him free reign to fictionally make his life work out the way he wants it to and his foray into the land of fantasy starts to cheer him up. The cheering continues when the next day Skeeter realizes that every fantastical thing he told the children the night before somehow started coming true (or so he thinks). The light bulb goes off atop Skeeters head and his stories for the children become more and more outrageous and lean more towards his own personal gain.

       I liked this film. I liked it a lot. It could have been because at the moment I watched it I needed a lighthearted romp with a predictably happy ending. I know the word "predictable" when referring to a film might sound like a turn off, but in this case it is ok because you basically go into this thing half expecting an awwwwwwwwww ending. This film contains all the elements of a good heartfelt warm family comedy. It has drama, love, romance, comedy, cute kids, and that special bit of Disney charm that we all know and love so dearly. Best of all, it has elements to keep the ENTIRE family entertained! Adam Sandler was the perfect fit for the role of Skeeter Bronson. He does so amazingly well with characters that possess just a bit of that aw, shucks charm and he superbly shines whenever he is paired in films with kids (anyone remember Big Daddy?). I was a bit annoyed (as I usually am) with Russell Brand as Sandler’s clueless compadre "Mickey". I just don’t get Russell Brand as a genius of comedy. He was ok in Forgetting Sara Marshall, but a golden God of all things funny and/or witty he is not. In this film he just felt out of place and never really sold me on what he was trying to accomplish or even why he was there in the first place.

       Skeeter’s ultimate love interest Jill, played by the gorgeous Keri Russell, however, did wholly impress me. She played a perfect Juliet to Sandler’s haphazard Romeo and the chemistry between the two was apparent from the get go. The playful banter that these two exchange throughout is really something that brought a smile to my face and the combination of Russell playing straight to Sandler’s goofy tune is a true thing of beauty.

       I would certainly recommend this film as a treat for the whole family. It contains ooey gooey goodness to give away and it spares no expense in pouring on the charm. The characters are likable and most will have you genuinely interested in their part of the story. The oddball gags and the seemingly off the cuff jokes hearken back to Sandler’s earlier days when he was making Waterboy, Billy Madison, and Happy Gilmore. It’s a feel good film for sure, but one that will not let go of your interest until the end credits start to roll. I am giving this flick a 3 ½ out of 5 stars.