Mr. Deeds (2002)

Director:

Steven Brill

Writers (WGA):

Clarence Budington Kelland (short story "Opera Hat") and
Robert Riskin (film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Don't let the fancy clothes fool you.

Plot:

A sweet-natured, small-town guy inherits a controlling stake in a media conglomerate and begins to do business his way.

Plot Keywords:

Small Town | Reporter | Love | Compassion | Sneaky Butler

Awards:

4 wins & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Jan. 8

9:00 PM

TBS

Cast

Adam Sandler	...	Longfellow Deeds
Winona Ryder	...	Babe Bennett
John Turturro	...	Emilio Lopez
Allen Covert	...	Marty
Peter Gallagher	...	Chuck Cedar
Jared Harris	...	Mac McGrath
Erick Avari	...	Cecil Anderson
Peter Dante	...	Murph
Conchata Ferrell	...	Jan
Harve Presnell	...	Preston Blake
Steve Buscemi	...	Crazy Eyes
Blake Clark	...	Buddy Ward, the Quarterback's Father
John McEnroe	...	Himself
J.B. Smoove	...	Reuben
Tom McNulty	...	Red Parka Man
Buddy Bolton	...	Cameraman
Angelito Bautista	...	Sherpa
Scott Thompson Baker	...	News Anchor
Robert Frank Telfer	...	Business Anchor
Elizabeth Owens	...	Kitty, the Bench Woman
Florence Anglin	...	Jane, the Bench Woman
Sylvia Kauders	...	Sue, the Bench Woman
Henry Hayward	...	Mr. Wetherley
Frank Weller	...	Old Farmer
Karen Nation	...	Lucy
Bruce French	...	Helicopter Pilot
Ken Forsgren	...	Co-Pilot
Earl Schuman	...	Blake's Valet
Marijan Zoric	...	Blake's Chef
Irina Davidoff	...	Blake's Russian Maid
William Brady	...	Chauffeur
Brandon Molale	...	Kevin Ward, the N.Y. Jets Quarterback
Derek Hughes	...	Waiter
Walter Williamson	...	Kurt
Roark Critchlow	...	William
Billy St. John	...	George
Kevin Grady	...	Anniversary Couple
Dru Homer	...	Anniversary Couple
Frank Montella	...	Bishop
Alfred Dennis	...	Old-Timer
Margie Loomis	...	Martha
Alex Buck	...	Gum Chewer
Tyler Roche	...	Young Kid
Lauren Mieske	...	Little Sister
Steele Hunter	...	Children's Father
George Wallace	...	NAACP Administrator
Gabriel Williams	...	Mailroom Clerk
Dianne Crawford	...	Secretary
John Kirk	...	Bartender
Aloma Wright	...	Coretta Keeling, the Cat Lady
J.D. Donaruma	...	Fake Cop
Carter Edwards	...	Yelling Cop
Steven James Golebiowski	...	Yelling Fireman (as Steven Golebiowski)
Tim Herlihy	...	Fireman
Ked McFarlane Jimenez	...	Heroic Dog
Chloé Hult	...	Waitress
Sidney Ganis	...	Homeless Man (as Sid Ganis)
Randolph LeRoi	...	Afro Man
Jeremy Chu	...	Bike-Riding Kid
Gideon Jacobs	...	Bike-Riding Kid
Craig Castaldo	...	Himself (as Radioman)
Gina Gallego	...	Consuela Lopez
Al Sharpton	...	The Rhyme Master (as Rev. Al Sharpton)
Dion Anderson	...	Shareholder
Susan Bjurman	...	Shareholder
Tony Chu	...	Shareholder
Andy Kreiss	...	Shareholder
Ramesh Pandey	...	Shareholder
Maurice G. Smith	...	Shareholder
Jennifer Tisdale	...	Card Reader
Toshi Toda	...	Card Reader
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barbara Arsenault	...	French Investor (uncredited)
Nancy Arsenault	...	French Investor (uncredited)
John D. Bair	...	New Hampshire Hunter (uncredited)
Erik Betts	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Eric Bruno Borgman	...	Deeds Pizza Maker (uncredited)
David Boston	...	Veteran (uncredited)
Steven Brill	...	Violin Player (uncredited)
Salvatore Cavaliere	...	Counterman (uncredited)
Roger Hamilton	...	Executive Board Member (uncredited)
Darwin Harris	...	Security Guard #1 (uncredited)
Ray Huffman	...	Executive Chef (uncredited)
Rob Schneider	...	Nazo, the Italian Delivery Man (uncredited)
Michael Tylo	...	Businessman in Restaurant (uncredited)
Steven Paul Zsenyuk	...	Millionaire Mourner (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Brill

Writing credits (WGA)
Clarence Budington Kelland		short story "Opera Hat" and
Robert Riskin		film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Tim Herlihy		(screenplay)

Produced by
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	executive producer
Allen Covert	....	associate producer
Sidney Ganis	....	producer (as Sid Ganis)
Jack Giarraputo	....	producer
Adam Sandler	....	executive producer
Alex Siskin	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Teddy Castellucci

Cinematography by
Peter Lyons Collister		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jeff Gourson

Casting by
Roger Mussenden

Production Design by
Perry Andelin Blake

Art Direction by
Stephen McCabe

Set Decoration by
Lauri Gaffin

Costume Design by
Ellen Lutter

Makeup Department
Rob Bottin	....	special makeup effects artist
Victor DeNicola	....	key hair stylist: New York (as Victor DeNicola Jr.)
Corrina Duran	....	key makeup artist
Katherine James	....	makeup artist: Ms. Ryder (as Kathrine James)
Ann Pala	....	makeup department head
Thomas Real	....	hair department supervisor
Tegan Taylor	....	makeup artist
Nancy Tong	....	key hair stylist (as Nanxy-Tong Heater)
Carla White	....	key makeup artist: New York (as Carla L. White)
Heidi Kulow	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Don Lanning	....	special makeup effects sculptor (uncredited)
Michael Marino	....	additional sculptor: Rob Bottin's Funhouse (uncredited)
Christopher Allen Nelson	....	makeup designer (uncredited)

Production Management
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	unit production manager
David J. Grant	....	production supervisor
Cheryl Quarantiello	....	unit production manager (as Cheryl Quarantiello Schnitzler)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marlene Arvan	....	second assistant director
Carla Bowen	....	second assistant director
Maya Choldin	....	dga trainee: New York
Jon Mallard	....	second second assistant director
Gary Marcus	....	first assistant director
Murphy Occhino	....	second second assistant director: New York Crew
Eric Fox Hays	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Samantha Lavin	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Eric J. Bates	....	property master (as Eric Bates)
Stephen H. Carter	....	art director: New York
Kevin Conlin	....	construction coordinator (as Kevin M. Conlin)
Kevin Cross	....	set designer
Emily Gaunt	....	camera scenic: New York
Robert Griffon Jr.	....	property master: New York (as Robert Griffon)
Al Hobbs	....	set designer
Dru Homer	....	art department coordinator
John McDonnell	....	assistant property master: New York (as John B. McDonnell)
Scott Nifong	....	assistant property master
John Oates Jr.	....	leadman: New York
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator: New York (as Ronald Petagna)
Beth A. Rubino	....	set decorator: New York
Margot Therre	....	scenic chargeman: New York (as Margot E. Therre)
Ben Woolverton	....	leadman
Brannon Wright	....	specialty props
Paul Cheponis	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Frank Didio	....	co-construction coordinator (uncredited)
Amina Allean Dieye	....	art department coordinator: set decoration (uncredited)
Amy Feldman	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Joey Genitempo	....	painter (uncredited)
Danielle Giovanniello	....	props (uncredited)
Amber Haley	....	set buyer (uncredited)
Guy Hietala	....	painter (uncredited)
Lindsay Hudson	....	construction medic (uncredited)
Timothy Joliat	....	on-set dresser: New York (uncredited)
Bruce C. Knight II	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Michael Marcel	....	set dresser: New York (uncredited)
Lori Marks	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Rick Polikowski	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Ivan Siebel	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Gary Thomas	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Alyson Wellins	....	art department coordinator: New York (uncredited)

Sound Department
Felipe Borrero	....	production sound mixer
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary Bourgeois)
Susan Dudeck	....	adr supervisor
Paula Fairfield	....	sound effects editor
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley artist
Drake Jenevein	....	assistant sound editor
Orada Jusatayanond	....	sound effects editor
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist (as Pamela N. Kahn)
Toussaint Kotright	....	utility sound: New York
Carla Murray	....	sound effects editor
Bruce Nyznik	....	dialogue editor
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anthony Ortiz	....	boom operator
Jeena M. Phelps	....	dialogue editor (as Jeena Phelps)
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
Derek Vanderhorst	....	sound effects editor
Clayton Weber	....	first assistant sound editor
Howard London	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Elmo Weber	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
J.C. Brotherhood	....	special effects: New York
Robert Calvert	....	special effects coordinator
Jeremy Hays	....	special effects
Chad Baalbergen	....	special effects (uncredited)
Michael Kay	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Matthew Lillis	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Jeff Miller	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
James Coulter	....	digital artist: Digital Dimension (uncredited)
Victor DiMichina	....	digital imaging supervisor (uncredited)
Benoit Girard	....	visual effects supervisor: Digital Dimension (uncredited)
James David Hattin	....	digital compositor: removal specialist, OCS Freeze Frame (uncredited)
Bonnie Kanner	....	executive producer: Pixel Magic (uncredited)
Derek Ledbetter	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
Jerome Morin	....	visual effects producer: Digital Dimension (uncredited)
Brad Moylan	....	digital compositor: Pixel Magic (uncredited)
Patrick Murphy	....	digital compositor: Pixel Magic (uncredited)
Greg Nelson	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Reid Paul	....	digital effects supervisor (uncredited)
Payam Shohadai	....	visual effects supervisor: BWVFX (uncredited)
Devin Uzan	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Kurt Wiley	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Eliopoulos	....	stunts
Gregg Smrz	....	stunt coordinator
Cheryl Bermeo	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Erik Betts	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Branagan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeff Brockton	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Mark Chadwick	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bruce Comtois	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Brycen Counts	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Max Daniels	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Dane Farwell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Jackson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Daniel T. O'Brien	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Charles Page	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Paul E. Short	....	stunts (uncredited)
Brian Simpson	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alex Barraza	....	rigging key grip (as Eliazar Barraza)
Ralph Brandofino	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, New York
Jack Chouchanian	....	key grip
Donald D. Davidson	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Donald Davidson)
Darrin DeLoach	....	second assistant camera
Glen Engels	....	second grip: New York
Jon Baronn Farmer	....	still photographer (as Jon Farmer)
Scott Gregoire	....	assistant chief lighting technician: New York
Richard Guinness Jr.	....	key grip: New York
Steele Hunter	....	second grip
Shane D. Kelly	....	chief lighting technician (as Shane Kelly)
Thomas Landi	....	chief lighting technician: New York (as Tom Landi)
Robert McGavin	....	rigging gaffer: New York (as Robert J. McGavin)
Peter Mercurio	....	camera operator
David Presley	....	video assist operator
Leon Sanginiti	....	second assistant camera: New York (as Leon S. Sanginiti Jr.)
John Scott	....	first assistant camera
Alan Shultz	....	dolly grip
Stuart A. Spohn	....	rigging gaffer (as Stuart Spohn)
Nicolas L. Charuet	....	grip (uncredited)
Ian Cohen	....	electrician (uncredited)
Alisa M. Colley	....	camera loader (uncredited)
Shawn Ensign	....	company grip (uncredited)
Paul Fanning	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Tom Houghton	....	director of photography: New York second unit (uncredited)
Daniel Kauahi	....	grip (uncredited)
Billy Kerwick	....	key rigging grip: New York (uncredited)
Samantha Lavin	....	photographer: second unit (uncredited)
Glen Magers	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera (uncredited)
Peyton Skelton	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
David J. Thompson	....	Steadicam operator: New York (uncredited)
Paul Wilkowsky	....	best boy rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Elizabeth Boykewich	....	casting associate (as Elizabeth Torres)
Tony Hobbs	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Amy Pope	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Fleming	....	costumer (as Mary M. Fleming)
Jeannie H. Kelly	....	costumer (as Jeannie Kelly)
Dawn Y. Line	....	costume supervisor (as Dawn Line)
Carol Lupo	....	costumer
Roseann Milano	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York (as Roseann M. Milano)
Heidi Shulman	....	costumer: New York
Andrew Slyder	....	costumer
Stephanie Biear	....	seamstress (uncredited)
Ann Foley	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Marcy Arnold	....	apprentice editor
Tom Costain	....	first assistant editor
Jason Gourson	....	first assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Tony Hoffman	....	post-production assistant (as Anthony Hoffman)
Terry Hubbard	....	assistant editor (as Terry Hubbard-Legorreta)
Chris Regan	....	color timer
Laura Weiss	....	apprentice editor (as Laura J. Weiss)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Bryan Bonwell	....	music coordinator
Wende Crowley	....	music coordinator
Michael Dilbeck	....	music supervisor
J.J. George	....	music editor
Stuart Grusin	....	music editor
Steve Juliani	....	music preparation
Tom Mgrdichian	....	orchestrator
Carl Rydlund	....	orchestrator
Gabe Veltri	....	score mixer
Pat Weber	....	scoring technician
Michele Wernick	....	music consultant
Mark Eshelman	....	scoring crew (uncredited)
Jon Kull	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring crew (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Buchman	....	transportation co-captain: New York (as John J. Buckman)
John Feinblatt	....	transportation co-captain
Jimmy Nugent	....	transportation captain: New York (as James Nugent)
John Orlebeck	....	transportation captain (as John P. Orlebeck)
Margo Hunt	....	driver (uncredited)
John F. Teeple	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
John Jordan Alport	....	production assistant: New York
Kathleen Backel	....	production assistant: New York
Steve Berens	....	animal wrangler
Lark Bernini	....	production coordinator
Brian Bulinski	....	craft service
J.D. Donaruma	....	assistant: Mr. Sandler
David Dreishpoon	....	craft service: New York
Deborah Evans	....	assistant accountant: New York
Karyn Gatt	....	assistant: Ms. Ryder
Michael Giarraputo	....	production assistant: New York
Cindy Glass	....	assistant: Mr. Caracciolo
Hans Graffunder	....	production office coordinator: New York
Demetrius Griffin	....	production assistant
Peter Hollocker	....	production assistant
Laurie A. Hoover	....	assistant accountant (as Laurie Hoover)
Marissa Kamin	....	assistant: Mr. Ganis
Nancy Karlin	....	script supervisor
Steve Kornacki	....	assistant production coordinator: New York (as Steve A. Kornacki)
Wendi Laski	....	unit publicist
Jonathan Loughran	....	assistant: Mr. Sandler
Sean Madaras	....	assistant: Mr. Giarraputo
Judit Maull	....	assistant: Mr. Brill
Andrea Mikolajczak	....	stand-in: Winona Ryder
Jubal Palmer	....	production assistant
KB Pugliese	....	production secretary
Leslie E.A. Rider	....	production secretary: New York (as Leslie Rider)
Tyler Romary	....	production assistant (as Tyler T. Romary)
Andrew Saxe	....	location manager: New York (as Andrew M. Saxe)
Mandy Schwartz	....	assistant: Mr. Giarraputo
Julie Shack	....	production assistant
Billy Smith	....	location manager (as William J. Smith)
J.J. Titone	....	production assistant
Adam T. Weisinger	....	production assistant: New York
Nadine F. Wilson	....	production accountant (as Nadine Wilson)
Mary Pat Bentel	....	office production assistant (uncredited)
Sally Ann Brooks	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Paul Cabbad	....	accounting clerk: New York (uncredited)
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Joni Cuquet	....	field publicist (uncredited)
Johnny Egan	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Dave Ginsberg	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Karen Gordon	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Betsy Hammer	....	voice looping (uncredited)
Jerrold McKinley Ivery	....	assistant post-production accountant (uncredited)
Alex Kivlen	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Amanda Ladd	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Victoria Leskin	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Alley Mercedes	....	voice looping (uncredited)
Scott Morgan	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jon Morgenthau	....	production staff (uncredited)
Jeff O. Otto	....	assistant: Mr. Herlihy (uncredited)
Currie Person	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Rick Poyner	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Rema Sayge	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Zack Schiller	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Adam Taylor	....	payroll assistant (uncredited)
April Taylor	....	location scout (uncredited)
Donna Tegan	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Timothy P. Tundel	....	second assistant accountant (uncredited)
Steven Weisberg	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Matt Woodard	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents) (as Columbia Pictures)
• New Line Cinema (presents)
• Happy Madison Productions
• Out of the Blue... Entertainment (in association with)

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2002-2004) (worldwide) (all media)
• New Line Cinema (2002-2004) (worldwide) (all media)
• Columbia Pictures (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors (2002) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors (2002) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2002) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Italia (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2002) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• Egmont Entertainment (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2003) (Finland) (VHS)
• Fox Network (2004) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• LK-TEL (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2003) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• RTL Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL5)

Special Effects

• Full Scale Effects

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Movie Movers  hair and make-up trailers
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• RCA Records  soundtrack album published by (as The RCA Records Label)
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting New York

Also Known As:

Deeds (USA) (working title)
Mister Deeds (USA) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language including sexual references, and some rear nudity.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Austria:10 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38098) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Camp Whittle - 31701 Rim of the World Drive, Fawnskin, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

When talking to Longfellow on the phone and still pretending to be a school nurse, Babe says that a boy named Billy Barty is in her office sick. This is a tribute to the actor Billy Barty who died in 2000, only three months before production started.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Deeds is practicing the proposal with his butler, one of the candles in the center of the table hasn't been lit. During their conversation, the candle becomes lit.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Preston Blake: I'm gonna get to the top of Everest, if it's the last thing I do!
[cut to his frozen but triumphant body clinging to the summit of Mount Everest]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "SexTV: Romain Slocombe/Spreading Misandry/Carolyn Weltman (#5.12)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Wrong Impression

Sandler's lovable fool has a serious message while slipping on a banana skin

Nobody goes to see an Adam Sandler movie for spiritual enrichment or intellectual stimulation - let's get that out of the way first. Once you accept you've paid your money to be mildly entertained in a lighthearted, slapstick manner, strap in and enjoy the ride.

I keep hearing Sandler is a major Hollywood player these days with an equal footing as producer as he is actor (he has produced a considerable amount with fellow actor Rob Schneider - the similarly inane but funny - mostly in spite of yourself - Hot Chick being the most recent example, in which he has a cameo role and indeed, Schneider helps Sandler out in Mr Deeds) so it's hard to prove that Sandler is now typecast as a lovable fool, because it's fairly likely he chose the part himself, possibly aware that Hamlet might be a little out of his league. Sandler need only check his bank balance to see that the lovable fool is certainly a lucrative one, having made an absolute mint playing countless other characters blessed with naive charm and a heart of gold.

The story - we all know it's a remake of the classic depression-era propaganda film starring Gary Cooper, designed to lift spirits and foster a sense of community - centres around a picturesque New England town and its perenially-cheerful, smalltown inhabitants, chiefly Longfellow Deeds (Sandler), who inherits a fortune from an uncle he never knew, finds himself at the helm of a media empire and heads to the Big Apple to find out more. Here Winona Ryder steps in as the ambitious TV reporter determined to get her big scoop and dupes the affable Deeds into falling in love with her. All the time she's wearing a wire and a hidden camera to enable their courtship and his antics, sometimes drunken, sometimes heroic, to be broadcast on the evening news. Typically Deeds is the last to know and is appalled when he makes the connection. By which time Ryder's character has fallen in love herself, resigned from her job and is begging for a second chance.

Deeds' only flaw is a short fuse and this is at odds with his generous spirit, who at times could be George Bailey, James Stewart's kindly smalltown character in Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946), but this spices things up a little and allows the suspension of disbelief to continue a little longer. The number of disrespectful, foulmouthed city folk he takes out is entertaining, while not always convincing, but then times have changed and these days your average bloke doesn't think of taking a swing at a man for swearing in front of a lady (more's the pity I say).

While you could aim criticism at this and jeer at the corny lines and simplistic moral at the film's end, there is something to be cherished here. The moral of course being that money is less important than being true to yourself, and while you're at it, be nice to your neighbour. As Mother Teresa once said, kindly words are heard once but their echoes are heard for ever - Deeds' character and his deeds (pun definitely intended) themselves are echoes of another, lamentably more innocent time and it's uplifting to see this spirit so laboured in the film's remake. It's also refreshing to see this bravely recreated by the producers, who have not shied away from dealing with the film's essence in these cynical times.

It's not all sentimental Queen of Hearts stuff though. There are some hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments that counter the film's message perfectly - the helicopter ride to Manhattan where the crew and Deeds are singing 'A Space Oddity' complete with air-guitar springs to mind here - and there is the usual dose of slapstick you'd expect from a Sandler picture. The 7 flying cats rescued from a burning building by our hero is particularly memorable and as I say, I was laughing in spite of myself.

This humour compliments the film's slushy message and prevents any actual retching in the theatre - leaving the cinemagoer shuffling out content, with a smile on his face - definitely a feelgood movie. I just hope Sandler doesn't attempt It's A Wonderful Life next, I don't think the world's quite ready yet.