Sandler plays Longfellow Deeds, a decent fellow from Mandrake Falls, New Hampshire who , when it is discovered he is the lone heir of a recently deceased media mogul(Harve Presnell), is whisked away to the Big Apple. Under the watchful eye of the company’s new man in charge( a delightfully smarmy Peter Gallagher), it is expected Deeds will sign the appropriate papers, see a few sites, then collect his 40 billion and go home. The media, who seem to know where he’s going to be before he does, go nuts for footage of this small town rube set loose in the big city. But is Longfellow who eventually has the last laugh.

What the hell happened to Winona Ryder’s career? From 2 Oscar® nominations to starring in an Adam Sandler movie? Winona, girlfriend, next time pay for the merchandise. It’s not worth it.

Not that she should be ashamed of her appearance here. Winona has always had a gift for light comedy and she adds a little class, something that Drew Barrymore did for what is still Sandler’s best movie: The Wedding Singer.

And speaking of that movie, what gives Mr. Deeds its limited charm is what drove The Wedding Singer. In a word, heart. And it is heart that drives the first half of Mr. Deeds. Heart and a gentle kind of goofiness that director Steven Brill milks for all it’s worth. When we first see Mandrake Falls we are seeing a world that doesn’t exist for many. People call each other by first name. Longfellow entertains the customers of his pizza shop by reading his own greeting cards that were rejected by Hallmark. And when an employee gets caught faking sick, Longfellow just laughs it off. It is only a formulaic last third that keeps this from being a decent diversion, if not exactly great cinema.

As for Sandler he has a likeability that one can’t fake. There are many actors out there with more talent in their little finger than Sandler has in his whole body. But he’s fun to watch, especially when he’s playing an unbelievably nice guy. I can’t wait until he appears in an unbelievably nice movie.

Coming out tomorrow

Rated PG 13

2 and ½ reels out of 3

Shallow Hal

Rated PG 13

Available this Tuesday

Wild man Jack Black (Hi Fidelity, Orange County) teams up with just as wild directing brothers Peter and Bobby Farrelly for a strange hybrid of styles. Shallow Hal  is both a feel good romantic comedy and a gross out comedy one might expect from the above talent. Black plays Hal, an unfortunate young man who was, in a way, hypnotized by his dying father into liking only pretty women. Problem is they don’t like him in a big way. Jack gets some assistance when self-help guru Anthony Robbins(playing himself) hypnotizes Hal into only seeing the inner beauty of women. Hal immediately falls for 300 lb. Rosemary(Gwyneth Paltrow) who’s got inner beauty to spare. A gutsy, funny movie that also has something  important to say if you're willing to listen. And, call me un-pc, but it wouldn't have worked if the audience couldn't see what Jack was seeing.