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* [[Keri Russell]]
* [[Keri Russell]]
* [[Guy Pearce]]
* [[Guy Pearce]]
* [[Russell Brand]]
* [[Richard Griffiths]]
* [[Richard Griffiths]]
* [[Jonathan Pryce]]
* [[Jonathan Pryce]]
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| gross = $212.9 million<ref>{{cite web | title=Bedtime Stories (2008) | url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bedtimestories.htm | access-date=2008-01-25 | archive-date=2010-02-06 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206060054/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bedtimestories.htm | url-status=live }}</ref>
| gross = $212.9 million<ref>{{cite web | title=Bedtime Stories (2008) | url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bedtimestories.htm | access-date=2008-01-25 | archive-date=2010-02-06 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206060054/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bedtimestories.htm | url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''Bedtime Stories''''' is a 2008 American [[fantasy film|fantasy]] [[comedy film]] directed by [[Adam Shankman]], with a screenplay by Matt Lopez and [[Tim Herlihy]], based on a story by Lopez. Produced by [[Adam Sandler]] and [[Andrew Gunn (film producer)|Andrew Gunn]] in collaboration with Walt Disney Pictures, the film stars [[Adam Sandler]] in his first family film role, alongside [[Keri Russell]], [[Guy Pearce]], [[Aisha Tyler]], [[Russell Brand]], [[Richard Griffiths]], [[Teresa Palmer]], [[Lucy Lawless]], and [[Courteney Cox]].
'''''Bedtime Stories''''' is a 2008 American [[fantasy film|fantasy]] [[comedy film]] directed by [[Adam Shankman]] from a screenplay by Matt Lopez and [[Tim Herlihy]] based on a story by Lopez. It stars [[Adam Sandler]] in his first appearance in a family film alongside [[Keri Russell]], [[Guy Pearce]], [[Aisha Tyler]], [[Russell Brand]], [[Richard Griffiths]], [[Teresa Palmer]], [[Lucy Lawless]], and [[Courteney Cox]]. In the film, when a hotel handyman's stories to his niece and nephew come true, his stories become more outlandish. Sandler's production company [[Happy Madison]] and [[Andrew Gunn (producer)|Andrew Gunn]]'s company Gunn Films co-produced the film with [[Walt Disney Pictures]].


The film was theatrically released on December 25, 2008, by [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Disney]]. Despite the film being a box office success, earning $212.9 million against an $80 million budget, it received generally negative reviews from critics.
The plot follows a hotel handyman whose whimsical bedtime stories for his niece and nephew unexpectedly start coming true. As Skeeter's outlandish tales begin to manifest in real life, he navigates the chaos and hilarity that ensues, ultimately learning valuable lessons about responsibility and family.

''Bedtime Stories'' was released theatrically on December 25, 2008 and received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, with criticism for its storyline, screenplay and lack of depth; however, praise was directed at Sandler's performance. The film emerged as a commercial success at the box-office, grossing $212.9 million worldwide against a production budget of $80 million.


==Plot==
==Plot==
In 1974, Skeeter and Wendy Bronson are raised by their father, Marty, at their family business, the Sunny Vista Motel. Despite being a good hotelier, Marty faces severe financial troubles and eventually sells the motel to his friend Barry Nottingham, the [[Mysophobia|germaphobic]] [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of Nottingham Hotels, who plans to turn it into a luxury hotel. Skeeter, now a [[handyman]], learns that Nottingham intends to close the original [[motel]] to build a larger establishment, appointing the obnoxious Kendall Duncan as its future manager simply because he is dating Nottingham's daughter, Violet.
In 1974, Skeeter and Wendy Bronson are raised by their father Marty at the family business, the Sunny Vista Motel. However, despite being a good hotelier and host, Marty faces serious financial problems with the family motel business and almost goes bankrupt. Marty sells the motel to his good friend Barry Nottingham, the severely [[Mysophobia|germaphobic]] CEO and founder of hotel chain Nottingham Hotels, who rebuilds it into a luxury hotel named the Sunny Vista Nottingham, on the condition that Skeeter will run it when he's old enough. At present, Skeeter is stuck as the hotel's hardworking repairman. Nottingham announces plans to close the old hotel in order to build a bigger one, named the Sunny Vista Mega Nottingham, and appoints the snotty Kendall Duncan as its future manager, simply because he is dating Nottingham's daughter, Violet, though he is secretly having an affair with the hotel manager Aspen.

Wendy asks Skeeter to watch her children, Patrick and Bobbi, because the school at which she is the principal is closing down and she is looking for a job in Arizona. The first night, Skeeter cynically tells them a bedtime story in which he casts himself as an underdog [[peasant]] in a [[Middle Ages|medieval]] [[fantasy]] world, who is unfairly passed over for promotion. Dissatisfied with the story’s unhappy ending, the children add that he at least gets a chance at the promotion and that it starts raining gumballs.


The next day, the story miraculously comes true: Nottingham, recalling the original promise he made to Marty, gives Skeeter a shot at the manager position; and on his way home, gumballs rain on Skeeter from a truck crash on an overpass. The next night, at the hotel, Skeeter tells a [[Western fiction|wild west]]-style story in which he, as a cowboy, is freely given an expensive horse named [[Ferrari]]. Going out later that night, he saves Violet from obnoxious paparazzi; he then sees Violet’s Ferrari car and mistakenly thinks it is for him before Violet drives away. Skeeter realizes that only the children's additions to the stories come true. The night after that, Skeeter, with the children's help, tells a story about a chariot-riding stuntman in [[Ancient Greece]] who wins a date with the “fairest maiden in the land”. The next day, Skeeter ends up spending the day with and falling for his sister's friend and colleague Jill.
When Wendy asks Skeeter to watch her children, Patrick and Bobbi, while she looks for a new job, he tells them a cynical [[bedtime story]]. After they request a happier ending with gumballs raining down, the next day, Skeeter finds that their wishes have come true. As Skeeter realizes that the children's additions to his stories manifest in reality, he begins to use their creativity to navigate his challenges.


On Skeeter’s last night with the children, he tells them a [[space opera]]-style story in which he triumphs over Kendall in a duel. The children, recalling how Skeeter told them on their first night that there are no happy endings in real life, add that someone kills him with a fireball. Skeeter learns from Kendall that the new Nottingham Hotel will be at the location of the closing school. Skeeter and Kendall both make presentations on how best to market the hotel; with his heartfelt speech on family, Skeeter ultimately wins the managerial position. However, Skeeter, paranoid against fire due to the story, blasts a fire extinguisher at Nottingham's cake and is “fired”.
Throughout the week, Skeeter spins increasingly outlandish tales, which lead to various adventures, including spending time with Jill, his sister's friend, and falling for her. On his last night with the kids, Skeeter tells a story about defeating Kendall, but the children add a twist that leaves Skeeter fearing for his safety. Skeeter impresses Nottingham with a heartfelt presentation about family and secures the manager position, but after a mishap involving a fire extinguisher, he finds himself fired.


Determined to save the school where Bobbi and Patrick attend, Skeeter and Jill confront Kendall, who plans to demolish it for the new hotel location. They race to stop him, ultimately saving the children and preserving the school. In the end, Skeeter marries Jill, opens a motel named after his father, and sees Kendall and Aspen demoted. Violet marries Skeeter's best friend, Mickey, who gains control of Nottingham Hotels, while Nottingham retires to become a school nurse. Newlyweds Skeeter and Jill welcome their first child, marking a new chapter in their lives.
Skeeter, much to the surprise of Jill and Nottingham manages to get the hotel’s location moved to the beachfront in Santa Monica; after which Skeeter and Jill race to the school before it can be demolished. While at the site, protesting the school’s closure, Bobbi and Patrick sneak into the building to give their sign a better view. Skeeter and Jill arrive just in time to stop Kendall from setting off the highly sensitive explosives, saving the kids and the school. Sometime later, Skeeter marries Jill and opens a motel named after his father; with Kendall and Aspen demoted to the motel's waiting staff. Violet marries Skeeter's best friend, Mickey, giving him control of the Nottingham Empire. Nottingham quits the hotel industry to become a school nurse, and newlywed Skeeter and Jill have a baby boy.


==Cast==
==Cast==
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==Production==
==Production==
Director [[Adam Shankman]] describes [[Adam Sandler]]'s character in ''Bedtime Stories'' as "a sort of '[[Cinderfella]]' character," noting that "'he's like [[Han Solo]].'"<ref>As quoted in "First Look: Behind the scenes of Hollywood's biggest projects," ''Entertainment Weekly'' 1025 (December 12, 2008): 9.</ref> The film was shot at various locations in [[California]], including [[Thousand Oaks, California|Thousand Oaks]], which served as the setting for Mr. Nottingham's palace.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bedtime Stories (2008) - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0960731/locations |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125161036/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0960731/locations |archive-date=2021-01-25 |access-date=2018-07-26 |website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 February 2017 |title=Best Movies Filmed in Thousand Oaks! |url=https://aluxurylimo.wordpress.com/2017/02/13/best-movies-filmed-in-thousand-oaks/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726103717/https://aluxurylimo.wordpress.com/2017/02/13/best-movies-filmed-in-thousand-oaks/ |archive-date=26 July 2018 |access-date=26 July 2018}}</ref>
Director [[Adam Shankman]] describes Adam Sandler's character as "a sort of '[[Cinderfella]]' character" and adds that "'He's like [[Han Solo]]&nbsp;...'"<ref>As quoted in "First Look: Behind the scenes of Hollywood's biggest projects," ''Entertainment Weekly'' 1025 (December 12, 2008): 9.</ref> It was filmed at various locations in California, including in [[Thousand Oaks, California|Thousand Oaks]] where Mr. Nottingham's palace is set.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0960731/locations|title = Bedtime Stories (2008) - IMDb|website = [[IMDb]]|access-date = 2018-07-26|archive-date = 2021-01-25|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210125161036/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0960731/locations|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aluxurylimo.wordpress.com/2017/02/13/best-movies-filmed-in-thousand-oaks/|title=Best Movies Filmed in Thousand Oaks!|date=13 February 2017|access-date=26 July 2018|archive-date=26 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726103717/https://aluxurylimo.wordpress.com/2017/02/13/best-movies-filmed-in-thousand-oaks/|url-status=live}}</ref>


==Music==
==Music==
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}}
}}


==Theatrical release==
==Release==
''Bedtime Stories'' was released in the United States on December 25, 2008, followed by its release in Poland on January 23, 2009, and in Sweden on February 20, 2009.
The film was released in the United States on December 25, 2008, in Poland on January 23, 2009, and in Sweden on February 20, 2009.

''Slashfilm'' predicted that ''Bedtime Stories'' would open #1 during the December 25–28, 2008 Christmas weekend due to its family appeal and the box office draw of Adam Sandler,<ref>[http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/12/24/box-office-tracking-bedtime-stories-could-be-the-biggest-christmas-day-opening-of-all-time Box Office Tracking: Bedtime Stories Could Be The Biggest Christmas Day Opening of All-Time] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122211424/http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/12/24/box-office-tracking-bedtime-stories-could-be-the-biggest-christmas-day-opening-of-all-time/|date=2009-01-22}}. ''[[/Film]]''. Retrieved 2008-12-24.</ref> but it came at #3 grossing $38 million behind ''[[Marley & Me (film)|Marley & Me]]'' and ''[[The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button]]''. However, during the standard 3-day weekend, it jumped ahead of ''The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'' ranking #2 behind ''Marley & Me'' with $27.5 million.<ref>[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2008&wknd=52&p=.htm Weekend Box Office Results for December 26–28, 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328095000/http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2008&wknd=52&p=.htm|date=2010-03-28}}. ''[[Box Office Mojo]]''. Retrieved 2009-01-02.</ref> As of February 2009, the film had grossed $110,101,975 in the United States and Canada and $102,772,467 in other countries, totaling $212,874,442 worldwide.


==Reception==
==Reception==
===Critical response===
''Bedtime Stories'' received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, with criticism for its storyline, screenplay and lack of depth; however, praise was directed at [[Adam Sandler]]'s performance.
[[File:Adamsandler(cannesPhotocall).jpg|thumb|[[Adam Sandler]] at Cannes in 2002]]
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] ''Bedtime Stories'' has an approval rating of 27% based on 111 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4/10. The site's consensus states, "Though it may earn some chuckles from pre-teens, this kid-friendly Adam Sandler comedy is uneven, poorly paced, and lacks the requisite whimsy to truly work."<ref>{{cite web |title=Bedtime Stories (2008) |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bedtime_stories |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=November 23, 2019 |archive-date=November 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128102937/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bedtime_stories |url-status=live }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]] the film has a weighted average score of 33 out of 100 based on 26 reviews, "generally unfavorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |title= Bedtime Stories |url= http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/bedtimestories |website= [[Metacritic]] |access-date= November 23, 2019 |archive-date= June 28, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100628041536/http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/bedtimestories |url-status= live }}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film a grade B+ on scale of A to F.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= Cinemascore |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 2018-12-20 }}</ref>


===Box office===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''Bedtime Stories'' has an approval rating of 27% based on 111 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4/10. The site's consensus states, "Though it may earn some chuckles from pre-teens, this kid-friendly Sandler comedy is uneven, poorly paced, and lacks the requisite whimsy to truly work."<ref>{{cite web |title=Bedtime Stories (2008) |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bedtime_stories |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128102937/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bedtime_stories |archive-date=November 28, 2017 |access-date=November 23, 2019 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 33 out of 100 based on 26 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews."<ref>{{cite web |title=Bedtime Stories |url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/bedtimestories |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628041536/http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/bedtimestories |archive-date=June 28, 2010 |access-date=November 23, 2019 |website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film a grade of B+ on a scale from A to F.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cinemascore |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date=2018-12-20}}</ref>
''Slashfilm'' predicted that ''Bedtime Stories'' would open #1 during the December 25–28, 2008 Christmas weekend due to its family appeal and the box office draw of Adam Sandler,<ref>[http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/12/24/box-office-tracking-bedtime-stories-could-be-the-biggest-christmas-day-opening-of-all-time Box Office Tracking: Bedtime Stories Could Be The Biggest Christmas Day Opening of All-Time] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122211424/http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/12/24/box-office-tracking-bedtime-stories-could-be-the-biggest-christmas-day-opening-of-all-time/ |date=2009-01-22 }}. ''[[/Film]]''. Retrieved 2008-12-24.</ref> but it came at #3 grossing $38 million behind ''[[Marley & Me (film)|Marley & Me]]'' and ''[[The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button]]''. However, during the standard 3-day weekend, it jumped ahead of ''The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'' ranking #2 behind ''Marley & Me'' with $27.5 million.<ref>[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2008&wknd=52&p=.htm Weekend Box Office Results for December 26–28, 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328095000/http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2008&wknd=52&p=.htm |date=2010-03-28 }}. ''[[Box Office Mojo]]''. Retrieved 2009-01-02.</ref> As of February 2009, the film had grossed $110,101,975 in the United States and Canada and $102,772,467 in other countries, totaling $212,874,442 worldwide.

For [[Common Sense Media|''Common Sense Media'']], the review highlighted that ''Bedtime Stories'' offers a whimsical premise that appeals to children, with Sandler delivering entertaining performances. However, it criticized the film for its uneven pacing and reliance on predictable gags, concluding that while it provides lighthearted fun for younger audiences, it lacks depth and may not satisfy older viewers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Movie & TV reviews for parents |title=Bedtime Stories Movie Review {{!}} Common Sense Media |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/bedtime-stories |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=www.commonsensemedia.org |language=en}}</ref> [[TV Guide|''TV Guide'']] described it as a lighthearted family film but criticized its lack of genuine whimsy and its over-reliance on the [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] formula, concluding that "while it is not bad, it ultimately feels like an adequate offering that fails to be truly special".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bedtime Stories |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/bedtime-stories/review/2000350243/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref>


==Home media==
==Home media==
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==Accolades==
==Accolades==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2020}}
{| class="wikitable"
;Australian Film Institute 2009
!Year
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Award
! Award
!Category
! Category
!Candidate
! Nominee
!Result
! Result
!Ref.
|-
|-
| rowspan="7" |2009
| rowspan="2" | AFI International Award
| Best Actor
|[[2009 Australian Film Institute Awards|51st Australian Film Institute Awards]]
| Guy Pearce
|[[AACTA International Award for Best Actor|Best Actor – International]]
| {{Nominated}}
|[[Guy Pearce]]
|{{nom}}
|}

|
;BMI Film & TV Awards 2009
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Award
! Nominee
! Result
|-
|-
|BMI Film & TV Awards
| rowspan="2" | BMI Film Music Award
| Rupert Gregson-Williams
|Film Music
| {{Won}}
|[[Rupert Gregson-Williams]]
|{{won}}
|}

|
;Kids' Choice Awards, USA 2009
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Award
! Category
! Nominee
! Result
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[2009 Kids' Choice Awards|22nd Kids' Choice Awards]]
| rowspan="2" | Blimp Award
|[[Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie|Favorite Movie]]
| Favorite Movie <br />Favorite Movie Actor
| Adam Sandler
|''Bedtime Stories''
|{{nom}}
| {{Nominated}}
|
|}

;Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA 2009
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Award
! Category
! Nominee
! Result
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" | Golden Reel Award
|[[Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Movie Actor|Favorite Movie Actor]]
| Best Sound Editing - Music in a Feature Film
|[[Adam Sandler]]
| J.J. George (supervising music editor) <br />Kevin Crehan (music editor) <br />Tom Kramer (music editor)
|{{nom}}
| {{Nominated}}
|
|}

;Young Artist Awards 2009
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Award
! Category
! Nominee
! Result
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" | Young Artist Award
|56th [[Golden Reel Award (Motion Picture Sound Editors)|Golden Reel Awards]]
| Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actor
|[[Golden Reel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Underscore|Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Underscore]]
| Johntae Lipscomb
|J. J. George, Kevin Crehan and Tom Kramer
|{{nom}}
| {{Nominated}}
|
|-
|[[30th Young Artist Awards]]
|Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actor
|Johntae Lipscomb
|{{nom}}
|
|-
|[[Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards 2009|7th Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards]]
|Fave Movie Star
|[[Adam Sandler]] <small>(also for [[You Don't Mess with the Zohan|''You Don't Mess with the Zohan'']])</small>
|{{won}}
|
|}
|}

;
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
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* {{Official website|http://movies.disney.com/bedtime-stories}}
* {{Official website|http://movies.disney.com/bedtime-stories}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0960731|title=Bedtime Stories}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0960731|title=Bedtime Stories}}
* {{Amg movie|389191|Bedtime Stories}}
* {{AllMovie title|389191|Bedtime Stories}}
* {{tcmdb title|id=729237}}
* {{TCMDb title|id=729237}}
* {{AFI film|64584}}
* {{AFI film|64584}}
* {{mojo title|id=bedtimestories|title=Bedtime Stories}}
* {{mojo title|id=bedtimestories|title=Bedtime Stories}}
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[[Category:Magic realism films]]
[[Category:Magic realism films]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Pictures films]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Pictures films]]
[[Category:English-language fantasy comedy films]]

Latest revision as of 01:59, 1 October 2024

Bedtime Stories
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAdam Shankman
Screenplay by
Story byMatt Lopez
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMichael Barrett
Edited by
Music byRupert Gregson-Williams
Production
companies
Distributed byWalt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Release date
  • December 25, 2008 (2008-12-25)
Running time
99 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$80 million[2]
Box office$212.9 million[3]

Bedtime Stories is a 2008 American fantasy comedy film directed by Adam Shankman from a screenplay by Matt Lopez and Tim Herlihy based on a story by Lopez. It stars Adam Sandler in his first appearance in a family film alongside Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Aisha Tyler, Russell Brand, Richard Griffiths, Teresa Palmer, Lucy Lawless, and Courteney Cox. In the film, when a hotel handyman's stories to his niece and nephew come true, his stories become more outlandish. Sandler's production company Happy Madison and Andrew Gunn's company Gunn Films co-produced the film with Walt Disney Pictures.

The film was theatrically released on December 25, 2008, by Disney. Despite the film being a box office success, earning $212.9 million against an $80 million budget, it received generally negative reviews from critics.

Plot

[edit]

In 1974, Skeeter and Wendy Bronson are raised by their father Marty at the family business, the Sunny Vista Motel. However, despite being a good hotelier and host, Marty faces serious financial problems with the family motel business and almost goes bankrupt. Marty sells the motel to his good friend Barry Nottingham, the severely germaphobic CEO and founder of hotel chain Nottingham Hotels, who rebuilds it into a luxury hotel named the Sunny Vista Nottingham, on the condition that Skeeter will run it when he's old enough. At present, Skeeter is stuck as the hotel's hardworking repairman. Nottingham announces plans to close the old hotel in order to build a bigger one, named the Sunny Vista Mega Nottingham, and appoints the snotty Kendall Duncan as its future manager, simply because he is dating Nottingham's daughter, Violet, though he is secretly having an affair with the hotel manager Aspen.

Wendy asks Skeeter to watch her children, Patrick and Bobbi, because the school at which she is the principal is closing down and she is looking for a job in Arizona. The first night, Skeeter cynically tells them a bedtime story in which he casts himself as an underdog peasant in a medieval fantasy world, who is unfairly passed over for promotion. Dissatisfied with the story’s unhappy ending, the children add that he at least gets a chance at the promotion and that it starts raining gumballs.

The next day, the story miraculously comes true: Nottingham, recalling the original promise he made to Marty, gives Skeeter a shot at the manager position; and on his way home, gumballs rain on Skeeter from a truck crash on an overpass. The next night, at the hotel, Skeeter tells a wild west-style story in which he, as a cowboy, is freely given an expensive horse named Ferrari. Going out later that night, he saves Violet from obnoxious paparazzi; he then sees Violet’s Ferrari car and mistakenly thinks it is for him before Violet drives away. Skeeter realizes that only the children's additions to the stories come true. The night after that, Skeeter, with the children's help, tells a story about a chariot-riding stuntman in Ancient Greece who wins a date with the “fairest maiden in the land”. The next day, Skeeter ends up spending the day with and falling for his sister's friend and colleague Jill.

On Skeeter’s last night with the children, he tells them a space opera-style story in which he triumphs over Kendall in a duel. The children, recalling how Skeeter told them on their first night that there are no happy endings in real life, add that someone kills him with a fireball. Skeeter learns from Kendall that the new Nottingham Hotel will be at the location of the closing school. Skeeter and Kendall both make presentations on how best to market the hotel; with his heartfelt speech on family, Skeeter ultimately wins the managerial position. However, Skeeter, paranoid against fire due to the story, blasts a fire extinguisher at Nottingham's cake and is “fired”.

Skeeter, much to the surprise of Jill and Nottingham manages to get the hotel’s location moved to the beachfront in Santa Monica; after which Skeeter and Jill race to the school before it can be demolished. While at the site, protesting the school’s closure, Bobbi and Patrick sneak into the building to give their sign a better view. Skeeter and Jill arrive just in time to stop Kendall from setting off the highly sensitive explosives, saving the kids and the school. Sometime later, Skeeter marries Jill and opens a motel named after his father; with Kendall and Aspen demoted to the motel's waiting staff. Violet marries Skeeter's best friend, Mickey, giving him control of the Nottingham Empire. Nottingham quits the hotel industry to become a school nurse, and newlywed Skeeter and Jill have a baby boy.

Cast

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Production

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Director Adam Shankman describes Adam Sandler's character as "a sort of 'Cinderfella' character" and adds that "'He's like Han Solo ...'"[4] It was filmed at various locations in California, including in Thousand Oaks where Mr. Nottingham's palace is set.[5][6]

Music

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Bedtime Stories
Film score by
Rupert Gregson-Williams
ReleasedDecember 23, 2008
GenreSoundtrack, film score
Length35:11
LabelWalt Disney

The score to Bedtime Stories was composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams, who recorded his score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox.[7] The song "Don't Stop Believin'" is played during the film and during the end credits.

No.TitleLength
1."The Sunny Vista Motel"4:15
2."The Tale of Sir Fixalot"3:04
3."Raining Gumballs"1:16
4."The Fat Mouse"1:54
5."The Wild West Adventure"2:15
6."Rooftop Camp Out"2:34
7."The Legend of Skeetacus"1:57
8."Almost a Kiss"1:53
9."Space Odyssey"3:08
10."Skeeter's Pitch"3:17
11."At the Nottingham Broadway Mega Resort" (Performed by Guy Pearce)1:18
12."You're Supposed To Be the Good Guy"3:49
13."Motorcycle Rescue"3:26
14."Happily Ever After"1:07

Theatrical release

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The film was released in the United States on December 25, 2008, in Poland on January 23, 2009, and in Sweden on February 20, 2009.

Reception

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Critical response

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Adam Sandler at Cannes in 2002

On Rotten Tomatoes Bedtime Stories has an approval rating of 27% based on 111 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4/10. The site's consensus states, "Though it may earn some chuckles from pre-teens, this kid-friendly Adam Sandler comedy is uneven, poorly paced, and lacks the requisite whimsy to truly work."[8] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 33 out of 100 based on 26 reviews, "generally unfavorable reviews".[9] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B+ on scale of A to F.[10]

Box office

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Slashfilm predicted that Bedtime Stories would open #1 during the December 25–28, 2008 Christmas weekend due to its family appeal and the box office draw of Adam Sandler,[11] but it came at #3 grossing $38 million behind Marley & Me and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. However, during the standard 3-day weekend, it jumped ahead of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ranking #2 behind Marley & Me with $27.5 million.[12] As of February 2009, the film had grossed $110,101,975 in the United States and Canada and $102,772,467 in other countries, totaling $212,874,442 worldwide.

Home media

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The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on April 7, 2009. The DVD was released as a single disc or a two-disc edition including behind-the-scenes featurette. Commercials advertising the discs feature background music recycled from the film Back to the Future Part III. As of November 1, 2009, the DVD has sold 2,835,662 copies generating $49,409,944 in sales revenue.[13]

Accolades

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Australian Film Institute 2009
Award Category Nominee Result
AFI International Award Best Actor Guy Pearce Nominated
BMI Film & TV Awards 2009
Award Nominee Result
BMI Film Music Award Rupert Gregson-Williams Won
Kids' Choice Awards, USA 2009
Award Category Nominee Result
Blimp Award Favorite Movie
Favorite Movie Actor 		Adam Sandler Nominated
Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA 2009
Award Category Nominee Result
Golden Reel Award Best Sound Editing - Music in a Feature Film J.J. George (supervising music editor)
Kevin Crehan (music editor)
Tom Kramer (music editor) 		Nominated
Young Artist Awards 2009
Award Category Nominee Result
Young Artist Award Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actor Johntae Lipscomb Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Bedtime Stories". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  2. ^ "Bedtime Stories (2008) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
  3. ^ "Bedtime Stories (2008)". Archived from the original on 2010-02-06. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  4. ^ As quoted in "First Look: Behind the scenes of Hollywood's biggest projects," Entertainment Weekly 1025 (December 12, 2008): 9.
  5. ^ "Bedtime Stories (2008) - IMDb". IMDb. Archived from the original on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  6. ^ "Best Movies Filmed in Thousand Oaks!". 13 February 2017. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  7. ^ Rupert Gregson-Williams scores Bedtime Stories Archived 2010-11-30 at the Wayback Machine. ScoringSessions.com. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  8. ^ "Bedtime Stories (2008)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 28, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  9. ^ "Bedtime Stories". Metacritic. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  10. ^ "Cinemascore". Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  11. ^ Box Office Tracking: Bedtime Stories Could Be The Biggest Christmas Day Opening of All-Time Archived 2009-01-22 at the Wayback Machine. /Film. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
  12. ^ Weekend Box Office Results for December 26–28, 2008 Archived 2010-03-28 at the Wayback Machine. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  13. ^ Bedtime Stories - Box Office Data, Movie News, Cast Information Archived 2011-05-15 at the Wayback Machine. The Numbers. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
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