"Murder Mystery" is SO FUN!

Everytime I think of Adam Sandler, I think “Waterboy” and “Happy Gilmore”. I still remember lines and stupid moments from both films at often the most random and innappropriate times. They were a part of my childhood and will always tickle my funny bone in one way or another. Unfortunately, Adam Sandler appearing in a movie tends to be  warning to the audience that what they are going to watch is either really immature and silly or overall just weak in the plot department. And while Adam Sandler’s more recent film, the Netflix original “Murder Mystery” is anything but serious, the distracted humor had its place and fit the films plot making it an enjoyable and light hearted sit.

Sandler plays Nick Spitz, a Brooklyn police officer who books a spur of the moment (though long awaited) vacation to Europe with his wife Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) for their 15 year anniversary. Their trip takes a sudden turn when they are invited to join the charming, handsome and wealthy Charles Cavendish (Luke Evans) on a yacht and find themselves framed for the murder of his horrid Uncle Malcolm Quince (Terrance Stamp) . Now they must prove their innocence by finding the real killer, murder mystery novel style.

“Murder Mystery” is like if a dime store murder mystery novel wrote a humorous memoir about itself and then adapted it to film. The story and plot is exactly the kind of thing you would expect to find in a cheap mystery novel and it works. 

I actually watched this movie twice and liked it even better the second time. The movie actually starts a little slow, giving you the feeling that Nick and Audrey are in a little bit of a rut. Having been married nearly 12 years myself, I appreciated how well Aniston and Sandler played off each other, displaying the comfort and quirky behavior that fits a couple married as long as they have been. Obviously the dialogue between the two is written with a comedic tilt but it wasn’t too far from the truth, at least in my eyes, making the dynamic between the two even more enjoyable. There is always an underlying issue with Nick and a lie that he is telling Audrey that complicates the whole situation and pushes some changes in their relationship which was interesting to watch.

I liked that the humor and the minimal crass content actually had a purpose in the overall plot and that it wasn’t just there for the sake of gross humor. That scene where they are stuck under that bed? That was awkward, hilarious and relevant to the plot. 

Murder Mystery was also a pretty safe movie to watch with my older kids with is always a plus. In fact, my kids asked to watch it again the next evening and I was comfortable in telling them they could watch it without me. That doesn’t happen very often with Netflix originals.

And finally, the mystery of the movie actually was a mystery (even if it wasn’t the most complex one I’ve seen) and I didn’t expect the killer to be who it was revealed to be. But isn’t that how it is in murder mystery novels? It’s not always the butler or the husband.

Overall, I really liked it and it just the kind of silly, fun and humorous movie I would watch again and again. It’s cliche, set to a formula and for certain not going to win any awards. But that’s OK as it wasn’t made to be something great. Murder Mystery was written to be fun and they nailed it.

Also, that ending? You know, the final shot before the credits rolled? Love it.

If you’re looking for something fun to watch this weekend amid all the dark, edgy and brooding options available on Netflix, Amazon and the like, pop that popcorn and check out Murder Mystery.

Support YOU CAN’T UNWATCH IT by watching and sharing our reviews, following us on social media and buying us some coffee on BUY ME A COFFEE. Y’all are the best!