CLICK (2006) 2 stars out of 4. Starring Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Coolidge, Henry Winkler, Julie Kavner and Sean Astin. Written by Steve Koren & Mark O'Keefe. Directed by Frank Coraci. Rated PG-13. Running time: Approx. 110 mins.

        In this hectic world in which many of us try to squeeze 36 hours into 24, the premise of a movie such as Click should be something to which many of us can relate.

        The story focuses on Michael Newman, a busy architect who, when forced to choose between family and work, usually chooses the latter.

        Overwhelmed by his life — as well as the number of remote control devices lying about the house — Michael goes to a store to buy a universal remote.

        Michael, thanks to the kindness and understanding of an odd employee named Morty, gets more than he bargains for.

        As Michael quickly learns, his new plaything not only works all the gadgets in his house, but the people around him as well.

        Just think of the possibilities: Fast-forwarding through arguments with your wife, dinners with your family and guests, or that weekend deadline from the boss on that new proposal; using slow motion to watch a buxom blonde out jogging; muting that barking dog so he doesn't wake up the household.

        But, like Midas and his golden touch, things begin to go horribly wrong for Michael. Instead of controlling the remote, it begins controlling him.

        If mined properly, Click would have been a hysterical comic feature. But screenwriters Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe decide to go Capra-cornish on us and throw in some maudlin dramatics, trying to make Click a contemporary It's a Wonderful Life.

        This is where the movie misfires. Sandler is no Jimmy Stewart. Even at 40, he remains a man-child, and the dramatic stretches seem to overwhelm him. Click has some very fine and funny moments, especially in the first few reels.

        One hilarious sequence involves Morty (a droll and somewhat sinister Christopher Walken) showing Michael all the remote's features, which includes a commentary track narrated by James Earl Jones. It's too bad the rest of the film did not reach this level of inventiveness.

        The ending is a bit of a cop-out, nearly negating all that went before it.

        What keeps the film afloat is the strong supporting cast. Beside Walken, there is Kate Beckinsale as Donna, his understanding wife; David Hasselhoff as his ungrateful boss; and Henry Winkler and Julie Kavner as Michael's loving parents.

        Click is enjoyable, though at times crass and mawkish. It swings wildly from slapstick to tugging at the heart strings and back.

        But despite its deficiencies, it seems to be a crowd pleaser. Just make sure you put the remote in your brain on idle.

        Bob Bloom is the film critic and DVD reviewer at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He can be reached by e-mail at bbloom@journalandcourier.com or at serialhero48@yahoo.com. Bloom's reviews also can be found at the Journal and Courier Web site: www.jconline.com
Other reviews by Bloom can be found at the Rottentomatoes Web site: www.rottentomatoes.com.