Grade:  C+

Director:  Steven Brill		Released:  November 2000
Writer:  Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler		MPAA Rating:  PG-13
Players:  Adam Sandler, Patricia Arquette, Harvey Keitel, & Sandler's usual cast of zany comedic actors		Running time:  90 minutes

Ratings System

What makes Little Nicky work is not the comedy, but the fact that the story is coherent and interesting.  This same story could have been supplanted into a serious horror film and worked great.  The jokes aren't super funny, but fun.  Surprisingly from an Adam Sandler movie, it's the story that keeps you occupied, not the laughs.

The set designs of heaven and hell are really great, hell looks like hell and heaven looks like heaven.  Of all the celebrity cameos, the best is by Reece Witherspoon as a heavenly angel.  It's also a lot of fun to watch New York City turn to hell as Sandler's spawn-of-satan brothers wreak havoc.

There's been much to do about Sandler's performance as Little Nicky.  People seem to think he just invented yet another infantile voice and mannerisms to add to his repertoire.  Heck, that's what I thought too after seeing the trailer.  But seeing him in context of the entire film, I found him kind of sweet and lovable.  I like the low-key whispering voice that he affects, like he's just a shy little kid.  I think it could work in a different movie where he's not even the son of the devil.  Little Nicky is a much better film than I had expected, so even if you think you're gonna hate it, you should check it out anyway.  CrocoWife doesn't like Adam Sandler movies but even she kind of likes this one.

- crocoPuffs