Originally scripted by Sideways co-writers Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry was intended to be a comedy with a social conscious. But then Adam Sandler hopped on board and what resulted was a "homophobic" gag fest about two fire-fighters posing as a gay couple.

Merry and Gay

A cluster of behind-the-scenes featurettes strive to show us that a good time was had by all. Sandler and his co-star Kevin James crack each other up in Laughing is Contagious, but when Rob Schneider is branded the funniest guy in the room, you know something is drastically wrong. The stars reflect on the most memorable parts of the shoot in another five-minute montage of b-roll and the supporting players get a chance to flounce about in Look Who Stopped By. David Spade in a bunny suit? Someone call Glenn Close.

A backstage look at stunts is about as thrilling as David Spade in a bunny suit. James falls down a four foot ladder onto a soft mattress and Sandler calls in his stunt double for a scene where Chuck slips through a collapsing floor. Even the director is willing to do what Sandler won't. He shows us just how courageous he is in Dugan: The Hands On Director. But he's never more in his element than when he's wrangling with a bunch of eight-year-olds.

A Marriage Made In Hell

However ill-judged this film is, a reel of deleted scenes reminds us that it could have been worse. Chuck orders a prostitute after a nice, family dinner with Larry and the kids and, in another scene, Chuck's dad reminisces on his childhood and wonders whether he shouldn't have confiscated that pacifier he loved so much... Apart from that, the leading couple get a few more opportunities to slap each other around in a non-homoerotic fashion.

Dugan can barely stay awake for the director's film commentary (and he's not the only one). He's joined by the actors in a second track, but this time Sandler has trouble remembering where he is and where he's been. He prefaces almost every exterior scene with: "Where's this? Is this Brooklyn?" Either that, or it's where comedy goes to die...

EXTRA FEATURES

I Now Pronounche You Chuck and Larry DVD is released on Monday 14th January 2008.