If you’ve heard the news that Adam Sandler has signed a deal with Netflix to produce four new films for the streaming service to air, then you’ll be surprised (or not surprised--as most people seem to have been) by this “stunning” development:
During filming for one of the films from the deal, The Ridiculous Six, a group of Native American actors have walked off the set after reading some of the script, which contains some...not-so-funny dialogue that they are calling stereotypical and immoral of the Native American race and culture, such as stupid names (like Beaver’s Breath and No Bra [really?!]), inappropriate scenes (such as an Apache woman squatting and urinating while smoking a peace pipe), and other pretentious things--like inappropriately positioned feathers on a teepee (although it’s unknown how they were positioned as).
According to the Indian Country Today Media Network, one of the actors, Loren Anthony, whom initially refused to take part in the film, said that he was told by producers that the film “would not be racist” and that a “consultant” would be hired for the film, to see that it would be found in good taste Funny that this is mentioned, as the consultant reportedly also walked away from the movie as well.
I want to say something to those Native American actors who quit the film.
It’s fine that you left those to-be-trite movie while you did, but there is something that all of you could’ve had the foresight to realize: This film is an Adam Sandler movie. There is so much you could expect from the dreck you’ve have signed yourselves into. Now, I’m not fully defending Sandler as he has some films that border on unfunny, childish, stupid and immature; but the fact that you expected nothing much by doing The Ridiculous Six, makes you all look like fools.
Another thing: What was Netflix thinking? Adam Sandler is not the big box draw that he once was, at least from what I've read on the Internet. His films sell so little from so much crap, that even his biggest fans have little reason to support him. So why is this deal happening? Maybe because he believes that Video On-Demand is a much more lucrative industry than cinema box office these days that he did anything to make the signing. In business terms, that makes a lot of sense. But, here’s why this is a bad idea: some of his films suck. Barely anyone watches them on a whim and finds them funny. The humor is immature and cheap, some characters he plays are annoying and unlikable, the plots are thin and weak as a wet napkin, and the stories are terrible (at least to me). Fortunately, he’s no Pauly Shore, so he’s not dangerously horrible. So I have a feeling this may be a failure on so many levels. But this may be a good thing--people do like his film work, and will be eager to check this film out, making this deal a success. Although, Netflix has never released its customer viewership data, we’ll never know exactly.
I will say I don’t find all of his films terrible--I love Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, The Waterboy, Mr. Deeds, The Longest Yard, Spanglish, Click and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. Sure, you may find some or all of them terrible, but I think they’re pretty good films that don’t showcase his mediocre humor most of the time.
But this is what I find karma: He puts shit writing into a film, and the actors actually walk out. In this case, the humor is actually offensive and disgusting. Too bad this situation will give this potentially garbage film attention and will drive interest in all of us (and especially the entertainment websites) until the film is finished and will premiere on Netflix either later this year or sometime next year. After this, I don’t think many people will want to pay a $12 movie ticket, let alone blow $8.99 a month to see this film. One can only wonder what controversy could come out of Joe Dirt 2.
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