Crimes
- Assuming, even after Lost & Found and Joe Dirt, that inveterate supporting player David Spade somehow qualifies as leading-man material
- Cannibalizing the premise of Billy Madison, which starred Dickie Roberts producer Adam Sandler as a maladjusted, emotionally stunted man-child who must relive childhood alongside actual children
- Creepily giving Spade a love interest (Mary McCormack) who doubles as his mother surrogate
- Following in the footsteps of Joe Dirt by taking cheap shots at a pathetic lead character who embodies a much-abused cultural stereotype, then trying to elicit sympathy for that character's plight
- Defender
Star/writer David Spade and co-writer Fred Wolf - Tone Of Commentary
Low-key, sarcastic, self-conscious, and self-critical. Spade and Wolf constantly second-guess the film, bemoaning dead time, drawn-out exposition, extended setups that hinder comic momentum, and the compromises inherent in studio filmmaking. They're also passive-aggressive, regularly complaining about hokey touches before insisting half-heartedly that they're necessary for the film to work emotionally. - What Went Wrong
Spade and Wolf regret the film's sentimentality, especially the piano music that plays during particularly schmaltzy parts. Their combined comments raise a question: Why didn't Wolf and Spade channel their extensive knowledge of the film's weaknesses into improving it while it was being made? - Comments On The Cast
Spade comments on how terrible he looks throughout, as well as how badly he acquits himself during the film's much-maligned dramatic moments. Bit-player and real-life kickboxer Emmanuel Lewis is praised for his fighting skills. Bit-player and real-life Kickboxer 2, 3, and 4 star Sasha Mitchell is also singled out for praise. The non-kickboxing child actors are predictably praised, especially Spade's surrogate sister, whom he describes as "hot" before catching himself and calling her cute. - Inevitable Dash Of Pretension
When not cringing over director- and studio-ordained sentimentality, Spade and Wolf pretend they succeeded in crafting a comedy with "heart." - Commentary In A Nutshell
After Wolf feigns snoring during a tender scene with Spade and McCormack, Spade says sarcastically, "People are bawling right now… They're bawling because they're going, 'Why isn't it Jim Carrey?'"
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