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BY MARK BAZER
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Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison productions usually adhere to the same formula: an adolescent in a man’s body gets involved in mildly funny and often gross scenarios before finally learning something during a few trite moments of sappiness. But Dickie Roberts deals with a subject that’s actually quite tragic: show-biz kids robbed of their childhood and then forgotten as dysfunctional adults. Star/co-writer David Spade and director Sam Weisman recognize this problem and try to compensate by heaping on more sap; it seems that every "funny" scene is followed by a sentimental one. Rather than the black comedy the subject deserves, the result is a disjointed, unprofound comedy with a heart but few laughs. In order to research a potential career-resurrecting role, Spade’s title character decides to learn what a real childhood is like by moving in with a normal family and acting like a child. Spade does his smarmy shtick, of course, and he’s always good for a few amusing sarcastic, childish bits. There is one great moment involving a champagne bottle and Dickie’s girlfriend, who’s played by Alyssa Milano. Rachel Dratch, Mary McCormack, and a slew of real-life former childhood stars also appear. (99 minutes)
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