Happy Madison – Adam Sandler’s production company – doesn’t have the greatest of track records with projects that don’t star the boss. (And we’re well aware that there are those who would contend that projects starring the boss aren’t all that, either – but those people are churlish and nasty and we don’t like them.)
After all, non-Sandler flicks of late include Strange Wilderness (awful), Grandma’s Boy (worse than awful), and Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (it’s got David Spade in it). But the company today announced plans to team up with Columbia Pictures on a new flick that actually shows potential, with or without Mr. Sandler.
I Hate You, Dad is a comedy pitch from David Caspe that revolves around a father who moves in with his son on the eve of his wedding, and immediately begins to clash with his prospective daughter-in-law.
And while it has the potential to be broad and crass and infantile – all the hallmarks of a Happy Madison production (although that’s not necessarily a bad thing) – we suspect that I Hate You, Dad could be a cut above. Certainly, we’d guess that the part of the dad should be a belter for an actor in his 60s, while there’s plenty of comic mileage to be had from the clashes between son, daughter-in-law and demented old man. This may be damning with faint praise, but this could be the movie that You, Me And Dupree should have been.
And don’t be surprised if Sandler does end up attached to the movie. But with no director on board, it’s early days all round at the moment.