Plot
Two straight, single Brooklyn firefighters pretend to be a gay couple in order to receive domestic partner benefits.

Release Year: 2007

Rating: 6.0/10 (64,035 voted)

Critic's Score: 37/100

Director: Dennis Dugan

Stars: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel

Storyline
Chuck Levine and Larry Valentine are friends and Brooklyn firefighting partners. Widower Larry, who still mourns the death of his wife Paula, is having problems changing the beneficiary on his insurance policy from Paula's name to his children's. He is worried about his children's future if he were to be killed in the line of duty, and is contemplating quitting his job for something less risky, but he also does not want to forfeit his firefighter's pension as he also see it as a safety net for his children. Larry saves Chuck's life on one of their calls. So when Chuck tells Larry that he owes him one, Larry takes him up on his offer. Larry's favor: despite both being heterosexual, that they enter into a domestic partnership, in name and paper only, to provide that much needed protection for Larry's children. Chronic womanizer Chuck reluctantly but eventually agrees...

Writers: Barry Fanaro, Alexander Payne

Cast:
Adam Sandler - Chuck Levine
Kevin James - Larry Valentine
Jessica Biel - Alex McDonough
Dan Aykroyd - Captain Tucker
Ving Rhames - Fred G. Duncan
Steve Buscemi - Clint Fitzer
Nicholas Turturro - Renaldo Pinera
Allen Covert - Steve
Rachel Dratch - Benefits Supervisor Sara Powers
Richard Chamberlain - Councilman Banks
Nick Swardson - Kevin McDonough
Blake Clark - Crazy Homeless Man
Mary Pat Gleason - Teresa
Matt Winston - Glen Aldrich
Lance Bass - Band Leader

Taglines: Chuck has just found the perfect girl. Too bad he's agreed to marry his best friend.

Official Website: Paramount [France] | Universal [United States] |

Release Date: 20 July 2007

Filming Locations: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $85,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $34,233,750 (USA) (22 July 2007) (3495 Screens)

Gross: $119,684,970 (USA) (14 October 2007)

Runtime: 115 min

Trivia:
During the parade when Chuck and Larry are quizzing each other on different aspects of each other's personalities, Adam Sandler and Kevin James each give their real birthdays when asked.

Goofs:
Continuity: When Chuck and Larry go into Alex's office, her glasses case switches between open and closed between shots.

Quotes:
Chuck Levine: Going in alive.
Larry Valentine: Coming out the same way.

love...but not in love

Rating: 9/10

Last night I went to a screening of this film and didn't know what to expect. I have to say this is the best Adam Sandler comedy since Happy Gilmore. It seems that with this new comedy duo that Sandler got his magic back. This story is about two firefighters in Brooklyn who have been best friends for what seems like forever. Larry Valentine (James) is a single dad trying to raise two kids on his own and Chuck Levine (Sandler) is a notorious playboy who has a new girl(s) every night. When Larry tries to change his beneficiary from his late wife to his children he finds out that the process would take a long time. Because he's a firefighter, and worries that he could go at anytime, he wants to make sure his kids will be OK. After a traumatic incident he feels even more pressure. When he finds a loophole in the system, he asks Chuck to be his domestic partner. Throughout the movie their relationship is under fire and it's up to their attorney, Alex (Jessica Beal), who believes they're gay, to save them from criminal charges. They try to keep their relationship a secret but it eventually gets out that they're a couple. Everyone they know starts treating them differently and they are witness to the discrimination homosexuals face on a regular basis. Little do they know, when they defend themselves, they defend gay people in general. Dan Aykroyd plays their Captain at the fire house and is also their voice of reason. Steve Buscemi plays an inspector who is sent to their house to catch them at their game. There are numerous cameos, by some of everyone's favorites, and they show up at some of the most random times making their appearance in the movie that much funnier. When I left the theater I felt like a did 100 crunches because I was laughing so hard. It didn't drag, and it didn't get overly sappy, at any point. Some of the jokes are stereotypical, but it's the first time most of them have been on the big screen so it was fresh humor. I sat next to my gay friend through the screening and I've never seen a man laugh so hard in my entire life. So, for all you people who think this movie will be a bash at homosexuals, I say watch the movie and then make your opinions. I enjoyed this movie so much that, when it comes out in July, I will PAY to go see it with my friends.

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