As subtle as a cinderblock to the side of the head, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry is a ham-fisted, low-brow attempt at making a mainstream comedy about a pair of straight guys who pretend to be gay in order to collect insurance and other benefits. Ostensibly a flick about tolerance and understanding, most of director Dennis Dugan's film plays out like an odd combination of macho surrealism and awkward after-school special.

There was a bit of controversy earlier this year when the Adam Sandler-Kevin James starrer hit theatres (largely over the film's repeated use of a slur offensive to homosexuals), but having seen the film, it certainly isn't worth rallying the troops to march down to the multiplex and protest about. It's silly and occasionally borders on cruel, but the plot is an excuse to indulge in the kind of homophobic humor that's been prevalent in mainstream cinema for decades.

Larry Valentine (James) is a big-hearted fireman and father of two whose wife's recent death has left him without a way to provide for his children should something happen on the job. Chuck Levine (Sandler) is his horn-dog best friend and fellow fireman who claims to always have Larry's back. When a situation develops involving pensions and insurance, Larry literally presses Chuck into a marriage of convenience, hoping to fool everyone into thinking that he and Chuck are domestic partners.

Soon, the city government is prying into Chuck and Larry's lives, which requires the men to enlist the help of Alex McDonough (Jessica Biel), a lawyer to which Chuck finds himself attracted. The story, drawn from a screenplay by Barry Fanaro and Alexander Taylor & Jim Payne (an odd trio of writers to be lumped together, certainly), goes exactly where you think it will, making a few detours along the way but arriving at its expected destination with gusto.

The biggest problem with Chuck & Larry is that it tries to have its cake and eat it too; for all of the stinging gay jokes, the film also tries to preach a message of tolerance, leaving you wondering where the filmmakers fall on these very real issues of gay rights. There's a certain glibness and off-handed casualness to the main plot that makes you wonder just how arrogant Sandler and his pals must be to tackle something making headlines as an excuse for fart and boobie jokes. And let's not get started on the wildly offensive Jewish-Japanese officiant played by Rob Schneider.

Although, for his part, Sandler does look uncomfortable throughout most of the film, as though he instinctively knows that every time he makes yet another low-brow flick, he's further undermining his sensitive, more restrained acting in films like Spanglish or Reign Over Me. James is his typical goofy self and the rest of the cast (which features a number of amusing cameos, including many Sandler alumni) acquits themselves well. But the whole enterprise has a hollow feeling to it, a go-for-broke comedy that can't find a suitable tone. Perhaps if the sophomoric humor had been dialed down and the inherent pathos of the plot played up, it would've been a different, perhaps more rewarding film. It also wouldn't have starred a man who broke out making shampoo bottles wrestle and the star of a popular sitcom.

The Video:

Shot on the increasingly prevalent Panasonic Genesis HD camera, the 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer looks remarkably film-like for most of the movie, although there are a few notable instances of tell-tale motion blur and brief glimpses of harsh edges that keep the image from being totally flawless. That said, 99 percent of the film is without any problem or truly glaring defect -- a fine visual representation of a brand-new movie.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 track has a few moments to shine -- the fire sequences are immersive as is the Cyndi Lauper-fueled shopping montage -- but is largely relegated to conveying dialogue and score with no distortion or drop-out. It's a smooth, clean listen that gets the job done. Optional Spanish and French Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks are included, as are optional English, Spanish and French subtitles.

Unsurprisingly, the supplements don't delve into any gay rights issues or address the small controversies surrounding the film, electing to instead focus exclusively on the making of I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. A pair of commentary tracks -- one featuring Dugan, Sandler and James and another with Dugan flying solo -- kick things off. The three-man yak-track is low-key, with the participants often talking over one another; Dugan's track is a bit more technically oriented. Nine minutes, 44 seconds of deleted scenes (presented in anamorphic widescreen) are offered with optional Dugan commentary; the six minute, 40 second featurette "Laughing is Contagious" (presented in anamorphic widescreen)details life behind the scenes. The five minute, 11 second "I Now Pronounce You Husband and ... Husband?" (presented in anamorphic widescreen) focuses on the lead actors. The six minute, 33 second "Look Who Stopped By" (presented in anamorphic widescreen) focuses on the cameos and bit players; the five minute, 24 second "Stop, Drop and Roll" (presented in anamorphic widescreen) explores the stunts with the five minute, 36 second "Dugan: The Hands-On Director" (presented in anamorphic widescreen) completes the disc.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry has a hollow feeling to it, a go-for-broke comedy that can't find a suitable tone. Perhaps if the sophomoric humor had been dialed down and the inherent pathos of the plot played up, it would've been a different, perhaps more rewarding film. It also wouldn't have starred a man who broke out making shampoo bottles wrestle and the star of a popular sitcom. As funny as some sequences are, it's not worth a solid recommendation. Rent it.