Skeeter’s Bedtime Stories Come True — and So Does the Film’s Weakness

Adam Sandler plays Skeeter Bronson, a hotel handyman whose bedtime stories start coming true. The premise sounds clever. The execution does not back it up.

Trailer, via Disney UK.

Skeeter’s Job

Skeeter works at the Sunny Vista Motel, which his father Marty once ran. He is stuck there for 34 years after Nottingham Hotels buys the property and promises him the manager job when he grows up. That promise never pays off until the movie’s plot forces Nottingham to honor it.

The Stories Turn Real

When Skeeter’s niece and nephew ask for a happy ending, the story about a peasant getting a chance at promotion actually happens the next day. Gumballs rain from a truck crash on an overpass. The next night, a wild-west story about Skeeter as a cowboy turns real too.

What Works

• The setup is simple and easy to follow
• The casting brings a mix of actors together, from Sandler to Guy Pearce to Russell Brand
• The tagline, “Whatever they dream up… he has to survive,” sums up the whole idea

What Doesn’t Work

The jokes fall flat again and again. A movie built on fantasy logic should feel magical. This one feels like a sitcom dressed up as a fairy tale. The difference between the two is the difference between charm and annoyance.

Comparing the Two Leads

Guy Pearce grounds the film as Kendall, the snotty future manager who secretly cheats on the hotel’s current boss. Sandler does his job, but the material beneath him is weak.

A Short Run Time, Long to Watch

At 99 minutes, Bedtime Stories moves fast. That speed only makes the thinness of the plot more obvious. There is no patience here for ideas that need room to breathe.

The Verdict

Bedtime Stories is a movie that never finds its footing. The idea is better than the result. The jokes land as often as they miss. The film earns a score of 3.3 out of 10.

Adam Sandler · Bedtime Stories · comedy · family film · movie review