Highly Overrated But Still Good

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

When it comes to classic, good ol' Adam Sandler, this movie is hit or miss. And for me, it's mostly hit. Not to say this a perfect film, as it's far from it, but compared to his newer movies, this is definitely the better film. The performances were great for what they were, the story is decent, and overall, this film is awesome. The humor in this movie is stupid, but it's done in a way that it is still funny, and that's one of the main reasons why I like this film a lot more than his newer films. However, the flaws in this film are pretty big in this movie. One, is the story. While I said that it was decent, and I think it is, it can be a bit predictable at times. Another, being the flow of the film, as it can sometimes feel either rushed or stretched out, and it can get sloppy at times. Lastly, being the premise, as it can can seem a bit off and sometimes mean-spirited. Overall, this movie may not be Adam Sandler's best, but it is definitely one of his better films and I think anyone who hasn't seen it yet will definitely enjoy the hilarious randomness and stupidity, that is Little Nicky, like I have, because it is indeed, a stupid comedy movie that mostly works.

rental shelf, but even he has made the occasional winner, one of the best being Little Nicky. For some reason it's panned over other far worse ones he's churned out of the gumball machine (ever re-watch Billy Madison? What the hell were we/they thinking back then?), but when you part the curtains of Sandler Stigma™ and really just look at what the movie is in itself, it's a hoot. What other film can boast Rodney Dangerfield playing Harvey Keitel's dad in heell? That's right, Keitel is the red beast himself, coming down off a ten thousand year unholy monarchy, with no plans to retire. This infuriates his two wicked sons, played by Tiny Lister (must have been a different devil-mom) and a slick Rhys Ifans. They depart the inferno and set up their own devilish franchise up in New York City, raising all kinds of hell, the most amusing of which is lowering the drinking age to ten (where were these guys when I was that age?) and forcing Regis Philbin to say naughty things on live primetime. Their younger, slightly retarded brother Nicky (Sandler) must pursue them on their haunts and trap them in a magic flask before it's too late. Dumb concept, right? Sure it is, but try and tell me it's not hilarious m, especially with the amount of inane visual gags and trippy production design these folks have dreamed up. Between Hitler dressed as a slutty maid getting a pineapple repeatedly rammed up his rectum to a giant gorilla massaging mammaries that have sprouted on a dude's head like fleshy succulent pigtails, there's no shortage of wtf moments. Sander picks an odd character mask as usual, sporting a metal-head swoosh of a haircut and lisping his way through his lines sounding like he had a stroke from watching Billy Madison dailies one too many times. Patricia Arquette is in it, as a sweet, shy girl he meets topside and the closest thing to a sane person you'll find in this madhouse. Cameos abound, from usual Sandler cronies like Jon Lovitz, Rob Schneider, Kevin Nealon, Dana Carvey, Peter Dante and Allen Covert, to randoms like Michael McKean, Clint Howard, Laura Harring, Henry Winkler, Ozzy Osborne, Reese Witherspoon as Nicky's angelic mom and Quentin Tarantino as a blind preacher. I don't really know what else to say about the thing, because its it's own thing and you either rock out with it, or you don't. Visually it's never boring, the script was conceived in the toilet and jumped straight to the gutter, the performances are all garishly obnoxious and the overall tone is that of an sixth grade birthday party gone rogue.

Though not the world's biggest fan of Adam Sandler, I must admit to having enjoyed some of his efforts such as 'Billy Madison', 'Big Daddy', 'The Waterboy' and this. 'Little Nicky', created by Sandler, Tim Herlihy and Steven Brill, is one of America's greatest slapstick romps, however it is not recognised so by critics, who slammed it on its cinematic release, branding it dumb and tasteless. True, it was dumb and tasteless but that was part of the fun. Besides, with Sandler in the leading role, is it perhaps just a teeny bit unrealistic to expect anything to the contrary? Set in hell of all places, the plot deals with Satan's attempts to retain his throne, in the face of opposition from two of his sons, the smart thinking Adrian and muscle bound Cassius, who each want to rule hell. Satan's third son Nicky, who is ugly, dumb and has a speech impediment, is far more laid back and accepting of his father's wish than his brothers. In a fit of rage, Adrian and Cassius take to earth to wreak as much havoc as they possibly can. Upon escaping, the gates of hell freeze up, meaning no souls can get in. This results in Satan's health deteriorating and in 24 hours time he will cease to exist, leaving one of his sons to claim the throne.Nicky, ever the loyal son, commutes to Earth to capture his brothers and return them to hell before their father dies. It is not an easy task. Having not been to earth before, Nicky is killed at every turn, so he is provided with a companion named Mr. Beefy, a talking bulldog who teaches Nicky how to survive on Earth.Whilst on Earth, Nicky befriends an arrogant out of work actor named Todd and two heavy metal fans and Satan worshippers John and Peter as well as developing a romantic relationship with attractive design student Valerie, all of whom link forces to help Nicky return his brothers back to hell so their father can regain his throne.'Little Nicky' is a overlooked gem wonderfully written and performed throughout. Sandler is on good form here, though Allen Covert and sexy Patricia Arquette both upstage him as Todd and Valerie. Harvey Keitel is a suitably menacing Satan, and Rhys Ifans and Tommy 'Tiny' Lister Jr. are equally as terrifying as his no good sons Adrian and Cassius. Also hilarious in the supporting cast are Jonathan Loughran, Peter Dante, Blake Clark, Kevin Nealon and Rodney Dangerfield. Appearing in smaller roles and cameos are Quentin Tarantino, Rob Schneider ( playing the same character he played in 'The Waterboy' ), Regis Philbin, Reese Witherspoon, Ozzy Osborne, Jon Lovitz, Dana Carvey and Henry Winkler. Stealing the whole movie though is the sarcastic Mr. Beefy ( voiced by Robert Smigel ).Despite the poor box office performance of 'Little Nicky', there was still a spin-off in the form of a computer game, released for the Game Boy Color in December 2000.Funniest moment - at a televised basketball game, Nicky uses his levitation powers to fire the ball into the net. The shock of this stunt causes a player's short curly hair to expand into an afro!

Dreadful bubblegum stuff for the heavy metal set. Satan (Harvey Keitel, with horns and pointy ears) passes over his two eldest sons for a promotion; they escape from Hell (to New York City!) and freeze the fires of Hades behind them so no new souls can enter in. Adam Sandler, talking in a raspy whisper (and with an occasional drooping lip), is the youngest spawn of the Devil who goes after his brothers to capture their souls in a flask forever. Despite a handsome production full of expensive CGI effects, big set pieces, and surprise guests in cameos, this Adam Sandler vehicle has no new jokes and plenty of obvious targets. Even with the large budget and a strong supporting cast, Sandler still can't shake off the doldrums and give us a comic performance he believes in. "Little Nicky" backs itself into a hoary corner, winding up with a showdown between evil and not-so-evil that raises not a single chuckle. Movies like this go over well with audiences who don't mind being treated like dolts. * from ****