Blended is the latest mindless romantic comedy pairing for Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Unfortunately, it fails at being either romantic or comedic, although it does succeed in being completely mindless.
It's hard to say exactly where this movie went wrong, because so many things are terrible. The plot was an unimaginative minor twist on a tired cliché.
Jim (Sandler) and Lauren (Barrymore) are both single parents who meet on a terrible blind date. A few awkward twists later, however, and the two are forced together on a holiday to South Africa with their families.
The parents and their kids grow and learn from a series of predictably wacky adventures. This change of scenery is where the movie really turned sour. While clichés were perhaps to be expected, the outdated racist caricatures were not: every "native African" character is an over-the-top stereotype.
Sandler and Barrymore lack chemistry, and their interactions seem forced. The movie's only saving grace is the child actors, who convey the awkward rowdiness of childhood, but still manage to be charming, and who have deeper personalities than any of the adults.
Audiences deserve better: Blended is lazy filmmaking, screenwriting, and acting.