Today’s quick review: Mr. Deeds. Longfellow Deeds (Adam Sandler), a regular guy from rural New Hampshire, becomes the most famous man in New York when he inherits $40 billion from his wealthy uncle. As Chuck Cedar (Peter Gallagher) pushes Deeds to sell his shares so he can break up the company, Deeds falls in love with Babe Bennett (Winona Ryder), an undercover reporter taking advantage of his small-town naivety.
Mr. Deeds is a comedy about an ordinary man who inherits a massive fortune. Faced with more money than he can spend, the adulation of the New York elite, and the scrutiny of a manipulative media, Deeds refuses to let anything change his honest, homey attitude and generous spirit. Mr. Deeds is a light take on money, love, and what really matters in life. Decent humor and a fine premise are held back by a restricted bag of comedic tricks.
Mr. Deeds has one angle that it plays up almost continuously: the contrast between Deeds’ genuine, caring personality and the selfishness of the people trying to exploit him. The dynamic works well on paper, especially when Deeds’ honesty begins to rub off on Babe, but the repetition hurts it in practice. Deeds comes off as static rather than someone who can learn and grow, and the pettiness of his enemies feels contrived.
Mr. Deeds also suffers from a particular issue where the main premise barely seems to matter. Deeds’ inheritance is a plot device that gives him the chance to interact with businessmen, reporters, and celebrities. There is very little in the way of extravagant spending, unconventional priorities, or other comedy that exploits Deeds’ wealth. Instead, Adam Sandler plies his personal style of humor with Deeds’ money vaguely in the background.
The end result is a comedy that will earn some laughs from the right viewer but which misses the opportunity to run with its premise. Mr. Deeds is a plain but amusing watch for anyone who enjoys Adam Sandler’s style of humor and classic themes of wealth versus character. But the movie only ever seems halfway interested in its premise, so a lot of its potential for both story and comedy falls by the wayside.
For another comedy about a change in station, try Trading Places. For a colorful comedy glorifying an ordinary man, try Joe Dirt. For a more eclectic comedy with Adam Sandler in a similar role, try Hubie Halloween.
[5.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280590/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for decent humor with missed potential.