If one told you Adam Sandler played in a family-friendly flick, you would definitely take the news for a bedtime story. In fact, Adam Sandler really appeals to both kids and adults in his new film, “Bedtime Stories,” that puts him in the not-so-comfortable position of storytelling and the more relaxed state of delivering laughs (which the actor knows best).

 

Working from a script by Matt Lopez and Tim Herlihy, director Adam Shankman portrays a world in which cruel undertakings and tender sentiments co-exist.

 

A brief opening scene exposes Skeeter Bronson’s (Adam Sandler) past: as a kid, he observed the collapse of the family motel business, because his father, Marty (Jonathan Pryce), could not cope with the situation. Consequently, Marty had to sell the motel to Barry Nottingham (Richard Griffiths and Tim Herlihy in flashback) and this particular incident ruined all of his plans.

 

Approximately 30 years later, Skeeter works as a handyman for Barry Nottingham and witnesses how double-crossing manager Kendall (an underhanded Guy Pearce) is selected to follow Nottingham at the helm of the old place, which has now become a lavish hotel.

 

When Skeeter’s sister (Courteney Cox) has to leave town, she asks him to look after her children, Bobbi (Laura Ann Kesling) and Patrick (Jonathan Morgan Heit). Thus, in an attempt to win the kids’ hearts and also entertain them, Skeeter unleashes his imagination and makes up several wacky bedtime stories.

 

The tales come true somehow and Skeeter finds himself in the medieval period battling old-fashioned Sir Buttkiss (Guy Pearce).

 

Despite the fact that “Bedtime Stories” avails itself of inventive and original subplots that provide the movie an extraordinarily stimulating holiday touch, many elements give the impression of absurdity as dark knights and beautiful princesses come to life. But kids will surely love this way of solving problems.