The annoying aspect of the films was almost certainly done on purpose in that the dialogue that takes place in the film normally involves multiple people constantly talking over one another to the point where the lines are difficult to comprehend.
One reviewer called this tactic "anxiety-inducing" and I think that hits the nail on the head. Overall this is a great film if you can tolerate the sometimes overwhelming dialogue.
Sandler plays the role of Howard Ratner, a jeweler with a gambling addiction that has gotten him in a lot of trouble with loan sharks. It seems that every move he makes has the potential to make him a ton of money but he always falls flat. He is constantly pursued by people looking to retrieve their money and just when it seems as though he is about to come out on top, someone new emerges looking to extract some cash from him.
The film is filled with a roller coaster of highs and lows and the tension is kept going strong throughout the entire film. For me, the crosstalk seemed almost as though there wasn't an actual script and that a lot of the dialogue was made up on the spot.
Basketball legend Kevin Garnett has a supporting role in the film and I was extremely surprised at how fantastic an actor he is. One reviewer called Garnett's performance "one of the best acting performances by an athlete ever." I concur.
I've always appreciated Sandler's non-comedic roles and feel as though he isn't used in that capacity as often as he should be. The films I've seen in the past such as Punch Drunk Love and Reign Over Me really show that Sandler is not just a Billy Madison silly guy that makes hundreds of millions by acting foolish. But as I've say to my friends: From a financial point of view it is easy to understand why it is that studios would prefer to use Adam as a comedic force rather than a serious one. All you have to do is look at "Jack and Jill" to understand this. It is considered by many to be the worst film ever made and it still make 80 million dollars.
This is a fantastic film that really shows how versatile Sandler is and I would say that it is one of the best films the man has ever been involved in.