On a good day, Adam Sandler is one of the funniest people on the p***t. And with Punch-Drunk Love and Reign Over Me, he's proven himself to be a capable dramatic actor as well. Unfortunately, critics say his latest, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, does not represent much of a creative advance for New Hampshire's favorite son. Sandler and Kevin James star as two Brooklyn firefighters who, in a bind, pretend to be a gay couple to qualify for domestic partnership benefits. While the film's moral is an admirable one (homophobia isn't kosher), critics say Chuck and Larry tries to have it both ways by utilizing shopeworn gay stereotypes for laughs before arriving at a preachy message of tolerance.

With all the goodwill that John Waters' 1988 cult classic has inspired, some may have wondered if world need another movie version of Hairspray. The answer, say critics, is a resounding yes; in fact, most are calling it one of the summer's best and brightest offerings. Nikki Blonsky stars as Tracy, a good-natured teen whose ambition is to join the cast of a local teen dance TV show; with the help of her mom Edna (John Travolta), she learns to love her stout self and the value of desegregation. Critics say Waters' campy subversion may have been softened this time, but Hairspray is still a ton of fun, featuring rousing musical numbers and sharp performances from its all-star cast, which includes Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, and James Marsden. Find out what else is playing this week.