As you know Adam Sandler basically makes two kinds of films. The over the top comedies usually filled with gross out jokes and gags or the more serious films with a hint of comedy. The Cobbler falls into the latter category. And in my opinion deserves better recognition.
This films is about cobbler Max (Adam Sandler) who basically is bored with is life and goes through the motions. And he is not really trying to do more to improve his life for unknown reasons. One day by accident he discovers that an old stitching machine he had to use is magical. The shoes that are stitched with this machine grant him the ability to become the person who those shoes belong to when he wears them. It is at this moment that he starts living through others and for the most part does good things with this new found ability. I said for the most part because there are some questionable actions on his part that dumbfounded me a little. I won't discuss all but two that I simply have to address. In a montage scene he goes sit and dine in an apparently expensive restaurant and skips paying for this by changing his shoes and leaving the restaurant as another person. Then he robs a (white) person of his shoes to drive a luxury sports car he owns. Now I know you might not think of this as much but what if I told you that both these times he did it as a black person. He does not do these things as a white person. How is that not discriminatory or offensive? Only in one case it sort of could be explained and justified plot wise but still it almost ruined my enjoyment. I decided to overlook it and not get bothered by it much and thankfully I did since the film does redeem itself especially in the end. Max does learn that he can't abuse his ability without consequences and that he needs to stay true to himself.
Max does also something very beautiful for his mother that will break your heart. It is one of the most touching and endearing moments in this film. There are others but this one comes on early one and was very welcome especially after his questionable actions I just mentioned. For that scene alone this movie deserves more credit. But it is at the end that I realized that there is more to Cobbler. Problem is that I can't discuss it without spoiling so I won't. It is something you will find out when you give this film a chance.
Compared to Ridiculous 6 and The Do Over this one is a little more grounded and sincere. And it will confirm that Adam Sandler is capable of doing more than spouting immature comedy. It's a beautiful modern fairytale if you let it. (Read comment below for more but will contain major spoilers so you have been warned!)
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Following comment will contain spoilers and might ruin some of the surprises so don't read if you still have to watch the film:
The Cobbler in essence is a superhero movie. Max uses his ability to become other persons to fight crime and do good in his neighborhood. He puts a stop to the evil plans of Elaine Greenawalt (Ellen Barkin). As it turns out his father (who had left him and his mother) has been watching over him all this time and had to hide out for the same reasons Max got into trouble for. It gets revealed that this ability has been passed from father to son for a long time with result that many shoes and therefore souls can be saved when it's needed. If you ask me that is quite the tale and it's a real shame that this movie has met with so many negative reviews. Apart from the few issues it does try to tell a positive and uplifting story.
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