RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Bedtime Stories
Bedtime Stories

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Bedtime Stories (2008)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
25 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:102

Fresh:25

Rotten:77

Average Rating:4.4/10

Consensus: Though it may earns some chuckles from pre-teens, this kid-friendly Adam Sandler comedy is uneven, poorly paced, and lacks the requisite whimsy to truly work.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for some mild rude humor and mild language.

Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:26-12-2008

Synopsis: Having promised to make a film his own kids could enjoy, Adam Sandler (YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN) delivers the goods in the charming fairy tale BEDTIME STORIES. As the film opens we meet Marty... Having promised to make a film his own kids could enjoy, Adam Sandler (YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN) delivers the goods in the charming fairy tale BEDTIME STORIES. As the film opens we meet Marty Bronson, running the family motel along with his children, Wendy and Skeeter. Marty's ruinous business sense forces him to sell the motel to ambitious developer Barry Nottingham. Marty hopes Skeeter will run the business someday, but years later we find Skeeter (Sandler) working only as the new hotel's maintenance man. So when Wendy (Courteney Cox) asks Skeeter to babysit her kids, Bobbi and Patrick, Skeeter--a master storyteller--wins them over by crafting bedtime stories that reflect his frustrations. From ancient Rome to outer space, Skeeter is the heroic underdog defeating his hotel rival, Kendall (Guy Pearce), and winning the hand of Nottingham's daughter. But when the kids' creative additions cross over into true life, Skeeter is convinced that they're the key to his sudden success. The price of that success, though, is the destruction of the kids' school. To save the school, his relationship with Wendy's kids, and the affections of love interest Jill (Keri Russell), Skeeter must bring his storytime heroics into the real world. Sandler puts his trademark man-child antics to good use as the disheartened handyman who fulfills his dreams by staying true to the people who matter most. Filled with plenty of humor and a heartfelt message, BEDTIME STORIES is an uplifting family fable that can be appreciated by parents and children alike. [More]

Starring: Adam Sandler, Guy Pearce, Keri Russell, Richard Griffiths

Starring: Adam Sandler, Guy Pearce, Keri Russell, Richard Griffiths, Courteney Cox, Lucy Lawless, Teresa Palmer, Russell Brand, Aisha Tyler, Jonathan Pryce

Director: Adam Shankman

Director: Adam Shankman
Screenwriter: Matt Lopez, Tim Herlihy
Story: Matt Lopez
Producer: Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, Andrew Gunn
Composer: Rupert Gregson-Williams
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    Big on a Cow
    >
    I Can't Read!
    >
    I am a Nerd
    >
  • You Did Not Just Do That
    >
    Incinerated
    >
    Positive Visualization
    >
1 - 4 of 7

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Bedtime Stories

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

If you are forced to attend, then at least Bedtime Stories is tolerable, and occasionally fun -- when it forgets to be dumb.

Full Review Source: SFX Magazine | comment Comment
05/27/09
Andrew Osmond
Andrew Osmond
SFX Magazine

Far from another Jumanji, any magic director Shankman tries to inject is squashed by Sandler’s distressingly annoying turn, while Russell Brand and Keri Russell look uncomfortably crowbarred in.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/05/09
Kat Brown
Kat Brown
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It descends into pathos, undermined by an insipid romantic subplot and the usual platitudinous guff about self-belief.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/05/09
Tom Huddlestone
Tom Huddlestone
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Appalling, hypocritical and dull. Imagine not watching this movie, then make that wish come true.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment 3 Comments
01/05/09
Jim Hall
Jim Hall
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It’s a pleasing concept, and Sandler is at his least obnoxious, but surely Adam Shankman’s family comedy could have been wittier.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
01/05/09
Edward Porter
Edward Porter
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There's a surface liveliness to the movie, but it has that plasticky Disney quality and lack of real heart.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
01/05/09
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

With the right material – think the day-glo campery of Hairspray – director Adam Shankman is capable of good things. Here you get the distinct impression there’s not enough room to accommodate Sandler’s ego.

Full Review Source: Sky Movies | comment Comment
01/05/09
Tim Evans
Tim Evans
Sky Movies

An enormous amount of money has been thrown at the fantasy sequences, but it can't save a script that is woefully deficient in wit. And who better to drag the name of Disney through the mire than Sandler?

Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK] | comment Comment
01/05/09
Christopher Tookey
Christopher Tookey
Daily Mail [UK]

This sweet-natured family comedy makes for great entertainment, balancing adventure thrills with a hefty dose of laughter.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
01/05/09
Mark Adams
Mark Adams
Daily Mirror [UK]

The moments of imagination are great for children.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
01/05/09
Sun Online

In Bedtime Stories Adam Sandler gives his most bearable performance yet.

Full Review Source: Financial Times | comment Comment
01/05/09
Nigel Andrews
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times

A fun idea turns into a so-so comedy thanks to an unappealing hero and variable performances from the well-known cast.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
01/05/09
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Part live action, part animation, Bedtime Stories is relentlessly silly, kept buoyant by Sandler's zany cheer.

Full Review Source: Teletext | comment Comment
01/02/09
Victor Olliver
Victor Olliver
Teletext

The script for this childish comedy is genuinely witty, and nicely played by the cast, but it would have been much more enjoyable if the plot had been a bit more innovative. Or if it actually went somewhere.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
12/25/08
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Adam Shankman's idea of directing a Walt Disney film is to pump toxic quantities of schmaltz into every available hole. Not a pleasant sight.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
12/23/08
James Christopher
James Christopher
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Some giggles for the kids, but otherwise this puts the ho-hum into ho ho ho.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/22/08
Kat Brown
Kat Brown
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

While kids will get a few giggles out of this scattershot Disney fantasy-comedy, adults probably won't find much to laugh at.

Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
12/22/08
John Hazelton
John Hazelton
Screen International
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
08/19/09
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

A family-friendly Adam Sandler movie that, even with its strained plot developments, is tame without being lame.

Full Review Source: Times-Picayune | comment Comment
08/14/09
Mike Scott
Mike Scott
Times-Picayune

...ultimately comes off as the most entertaining Adam Sandler comedy to hit theaters since 2004's 50 First Dates...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
05/01/09
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
all

Latest News for Bedtime Stories

April 06, 2009: RT on DVD: Bedtime Stories, Yes Man, Doubt Hit Shelves
This week's new releases include a few Hollywood takes on science fiction (Fox's remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still; the 1984 sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact on... More...

December 28, 2008: Box Office Guru Wrapup: Marley Takes #1, The Spirit Tanks
This weekend people were in the mood for movies over Christmas weekend as multiplexes were jam-packed with customers that powered four different new releases to more than $30M... More...

December 23, 2008: Critics Consensus: Benjamin Button Rewards the Curious; It's Bedtime for Bedtime Stories
This week at the movies, we've got a full slate of new flicks: Bedtime Stories, starring Adam Sandler and Keri Russell; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt... More...

December 23, 2008: There is one big Sandler moment, when he discovers how to use a sandwich to brush his teeth. But I'll pass on the Cinderfella part, where instead of shoes, he promises to stick around 'like the stink on your feet.' Nose clips, please. Opens in new window
More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…
19% 19% Transformers: Revenge …
55% 55% Orphan
43% 43% The Proposal
26% 26% Land of the Lost

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
37% 37% G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
14% 14% I Love You, Beth Cooper
97% 97% Food, Inc.
28% 28% Aliens in the Attic

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia

Your first look at the swashbuckler.

Vampires

Vampires

We rank cinema's bloodsuckers.

Avatar

Avatar

The full trailer for Cameron's epic.

2012

2012

12 facts about Emmerich's disaster flick.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Abrams eyes Micronauts, Aykroyd as Yogi Bear
51
  • J.J. Abrams Producing Micronauts Movie? Source: Wall Street Journal
11
  • Peter Murphy Filming Twilight Saga: Eclipse Cameo Source: MTV
18
  • David Goyer Promises "Existential" Ghost Rider Sequel Source: MTV
160
  • Emmerich Plans 2012: The TV Series Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
42
  • Guttenberg Promises Three Men and a Baby Sequel Source: WENN
66
  • Berenstain Bears Going CGI for Big-Screen Debut Source: USA Today
3
  • Ian McKellen Is Excited About The Hobbit Source: Sci Fi Wire
26
  • Owen Wilson IS Marmaduke Source: Hollywood Reporter
40
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • 12 Facts About 2012
132
  • Total Recall: George Clooney's Best Movies
88
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: This Is It Tops Box Office Worldwide
55
  • Critics Consensus: A Christmas Carol Dazzles But Disappoints
40
  • Ho-ho-horror! 10 Scary Christmas Movies
36
  • Friday Harvest: Prince of Persia, The Road, and more!
21
  • Weekly Ketchup: Abrams eyes Micronauts, Aykroyd as Yogi Bear
17
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
14
  • New Moon Fan in the UK? Meet the Cast!
4
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
14
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
15
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
  • Emma Stone talks Zombieland - RT Interview
40
  • Michael Moore: The RT Interview
139
  • Andrea Arnold talks Fish Tank - RT Interview
4
  • Neill Blomkamp talks District 9 - RT Interview
51
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Bedtime Stories at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Bedtime Stories at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.