Bedtime Stories

Bedtime Stories is rated PG: for some mild rude humor and mild language.

It’s been four years since Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) was invited to his sister’s (Courtney Cox) home. But now the divorced mom needs some family support. Leaving town to look for a job, she asks her brother, a hotel handyman, to take the night shift watching her kids, Bobby (Laura Ann Kesling) and Patrick (Jonathan Morgan Heit) while she is away.

Unlike his vegan, safety-conscious, politically correct sibling, Skeeter has a more relaxed approach to life and child-care. Picking up his little relatives from their daytime sitter, Jill (Keri Russel), he tucks the two tikes under the covers. Then rather than reading the trendy, sanitized fiction his sister left behind, he decides to make up the kind of bedtime story his father (Jonathan Pryce) used to tell. Full of adventure, danger and even a little romance, his tale ignites the imagination of his niece and nephew who soon add their own lines to the narrative.

The real surprise comes the following day when the previous night’s account begins to come true in the most surprising way. Hoping to take advantage of this newfound magic, Skeeter’s next nightly anecdote is full of all types of honors for the humble handyman. But it doesn’t take long to realize it’s Bobby and Patrick’s input that steers the story.

Meanwhile, Skeeter and a fellow hospitality employee, Kendall (Guy Pearce), have a chance to pitch a hotel theme idea to their boss, Barry Nottingham (Richard Griffiths). The winner of the competition will manage the new establishment. With all of his hopes hanging on a contest, Skeeter is desperate to maneuver the children’s literary contributions in favor of him.

Though making a movie that appeals to both adults and children is nearly an impossible feat, Bedtime Stories, for the most part, errs in favor of the juvenile set with two engaging young actors, a bugged-eyed guinea pig and plenty of fantastical settings. On the other hand, the script also contains several flatulence gags, some rude comments and name-calling, mild sexual innuendo, and cartoon-style violence that some families may wish to avoid. As well, a character sprays himself and another man in the face with a flame-retardant aerosol, causing extreme pain. Other moments of peril (including children inside a building that is about to be demolished) may cause concern for very young viewers too.

Yet Bedtime Stories has an imaginative premise that highlights the importance of old-fashioned storytelling. While Bobby and Patrick’s fictitious additions may be farfetched, the film uses creative means to bring the children’s input to life. In true Sandler-style, Skeeter, though still hoping for a cherry red Ferrari and a big promotion, discovers the role he has in authoring the outcome of his own life. Choosing to act rather than rely on fate, he begins to build relationships with those he loves in anticipation of a happily-ever-after ending.

Studio: 2008 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Infrequent terms of Christian Deity and rude name-calling are paired with some crude humor involving flatulence jokes, comments about underwear and mild sexual innuendo. Cartoon-style violence consists of characters being attacked by an animal, kicked, knocked down, hit with food, shot, stung by a bee and participating in hand-to-hand fighting or gladiator-style events. Space guns shoot goo in the shape of a hand that pokes or slaps the opponent in the face. On a more serious note, a man sprays himself and another person in the face with a toxic aerosol. Children enter a building that is about to be demolished. A waiter is pushed into a pool and a guest is drenched with fire extinguisher chemicals. Two people recklessly drive a motorcycle down the street and through a golf course. Individuals wear bikinis, cleavage-baring dresses or coconut bras. Alcohol is consumed with dinner, at parties and other social events. An adult couple kisses on at least two occasions. A man eats toothpaste.

What important role does Skeeter play in the lives of his niece and nephew? How can extended family members positively impact the lives of children?

How does storytelling enhance imagination? What was your favorite childhood story?

For a fun family activity, gather an assortment of household items in a large bag or box. Have one person begin telling a story. Pass the bag or box to the next person who chooses an article from it without looking. That person then carries on with the story and incorporates the item into the tale. Continue by passing the bag or box around the room.

Living in a remote tropical location with her father, a young girl voraciouslyfollows the adventures of her favorite storybook hero, Alex Rider, in the film Nim’s Island. Courtney Cox lends her vocal talents to Daisy the Cow in the animated children’s film Barnyard: The Original Party Animals. Reality and fantasy also mix in films Jumanji and Zathura, where board games come to life.

Release Date: 7 April 2009

Bedtime Stories Single Disc DVD is presented in widescreen with audio tracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (English) and Dolby Digital (French and Spanish). Subtitles are available in French and Spanish.

Bedtime Stories 2-Disc DVD Set is presented in widescreen with audio tracks in English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround), French and Spanish. Subtitles are available in French and Spanish. Also included are:

- Digital Copy

- Featurettes: Get to Know Bugsy The Big-Eyed Guinea Pig and Dylan and Cole Sprouse (Disney Channel’s “Suite Life”) Present The Benefits of Blu-ray

Bedtime Stories 3-Disc Blu-ray Edition is presented in widescreen with audio tracks in English (DTS 5.1 HD Master Audio), French and Spanish. Bonus extras include:

- Outtakes

- Deleted Scenes: Cutting Room Floor

- Featurettes: Until Gravity Do Us Part, It’s Bugsy and To All The Little People.

- Interactive Features: Disney BD-Live