(most of the spoilers will probably refer to the original 1936 film, so don’t read on if you plan to watch that version).

I saw the original recently and enjoyed it. I was then forced to watch the Adam Sandler version recently on a bus trip. I admit I was prejudiced. I don’t generally like Adam Sandler’s sophomoric “humor”. And I normally think remakes are a bad idea (unless there is something that needs to be updated, removal of racism, sexism or improving on aspects that couldn’t be done in the original). However, having liked the original and being a fan of Winona Ryder & many of the other bit actors I gave it a chance.

The only “updating” it really got was to include more moronic “humor”, more violence, more swearing and flipping off.

The entire point of the original film—which stresses the disparity of the Great Depression vs. the obscenely rich was completely cut out! I saw this film as a chance to comment on our current society’s economic disparity where under Bush Jrs’ administration the rich are getting WAY richer and the middle class is becoming poor and the poor are just totally screwed. There is no understanding of this in this film. There is no social commentary (apart from some jabs at Entertainment “news” shows.)

Even when Adam Sandler’s Deeds tries to help people he just gives the money to one group he seems to select out of the area (not to say they’re not worthy) – but the point of the first film was that he reaches out and tries to individually help as many people as he can.

The movie is not just about one guy who is not greedy, it’s also about social responsibility. This movie weeded that out and put in moronic/simplistic jokes instead.

I also did not understand why this simple nice guy was so violent. This wasn’t one justified punch this was pummeling some guy nearly to death and various other disturbing recurrent fights.

I’m also docking it for featuring product placement (wendy’s, corvettes, etc)

Buscemi, Torturro & Ryder gave fine performaces for what they were given but they should be ashamed for having helped make this film.