> INFORMATION

> SUBMISSIONS

> ARCHIVES

> HOME

FEBRUARY 2005

> LITTLE NICKY (2000) | mike smith

Released in 2000.  Directed by Steven Brill.  Written by Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler, and Steven Brill.  Starring Adam Sandler (Nicky), Patricia Arquette (Valerie), Harvey Keitel (Satan), Rhys Ifans (Adrian), Tom 'Tiny' Lister  Jr. (Cassius), Robert Smigel (Mr. Beefy's voice), and Reese Witherspoon (Angel Holly).

Little Nicky is one of Adam Sandler's best films. After an opening scene starring Jon Lovitz and a big horny bird, we meet Satan's three sons. There's the sophisticated Adrian, the powerful Cassius, and Nicky, who is neither sophisticated nor powerful. In fact, his face is messed up and he talks funny. The story goes like this. The Devil's 10,000 year term is about to be up and he must now pick one of his three sons to rule Hell for the next 10,000 years. In the end, the Devil decides to rule Hell for another 10,000 years himself.

Adrian and Cassius do not take the news well and decide to start their own Hell on Earth. Their decision causes their father to slowly deteriorate as the gates of Hell are frozen shut. The Devil sends Nicky to Earth to capture them and save his life. "I never been to Earth," Nicky complains, "I never even slept over some other dude's house." It's okay. Dear old Dad has arranged for Nicky to have a guide on Earth. This guide is a talking pit bull named Mr. Beefy. As expected, Earth soon turns into pure Hell as the drinking age is lowered from 21 to 10. Will Nicky be able to save his father or will his brothers let the sin begin?

Believe me, you want to find out what happens. This is a funny movie and I only hate a few things about it, namely Reese Witherspoon and the other ditzy sorority chicks who show up near the end. I'm also not fond of Patricia Arquette in this film, and as a matter of fact, I don't like her in anything else she's ever been in. There's also way too many inside jokes from Happy Gilmore throughout. For instance, Chubbs the golf pro has no business being in Little Nicky. Give me a break!

Here's what I enjoyed the most. Dana Carvey plays a possessed Globetrotters referee. Rodney Dangerfield plays Grandfather Lucifer and doesn't even get any respect in Hell. Henry Winkler gets covered in bees. Quentin Tarantino makes a cameo. And perhaps most important, we learn throughout the film that "Popeye's chicken is fuckin' awesome!" I recommend picking up a copy of Little Nicky right now and watching it often!

> BIOGRAPHY | about the author

Mike Smith has worn lots of shoes.