If you've visited a movie theater within the past month, you've no doubt seen the trailer for I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, the Adam Sandler/Kevin James "firefighters posing as a gay couple for the benefits" comedy. If you're struggling to recall, it's the one with all the homophobic jokes and Jessica Biel in her underwear. We're not sure if Justin Timberlake will be showing up at any screenings to spit on the audience, but we were curious as to what GLAAD would think of a film that appears to be one long-running gay joke.
Thankfully, After Elton did the dirty work for us. What do they think? They like it, and it's not nearly as homophobic as you think. In fact, its message is one of acceptance and exposure - of the archaic values of homophobia. With Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor on the Chuck and Larry writing team, we should've known better than to assume anything less. Oh wait, they're not really on the writing team anymore. Eh. Here are a couple highlights from the interview:
AE: Are the gay elements being used as plot devices for a straight love story, or does some overarching message compensate for this?
Through the disarming use of comedy, there is an exploration of homophobia, which often involves stereotypes and slurs, and it holds a mirror up to that and asks people to consider where it comes from.
AE: Are the ads accurately representative of the film as a whole?
DR: A trailer is designed to get you into the theater. It doesn't tell the complete story, nor is it supposed to. There is a difference between the marketing of the film and the actual film itself. Having seen the final product, Adam Sandler's audience will be left with a message that stresses the importance of family and equality for everyone.
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