There has to be some kind of an audience for Bucky Larson, doesn't there? Considering the successful talent involved, surely they must have thought the material was up to snuff for someone? Easily amused viewers might be a good target audience -- you know, the kind that laugh at jokey accents and buck teeth. They just might find Nick Swardson hilarious in virtually every scene as he earnestly maneuvers his way through the porn scene, eventually becoming huge for, yes, his small manhood. Knee-jerk laughers might also be prone to guffaw at the raunch on display, all of which deals with more bodily fluids than could fit on a There's Something About Mary triple-disc DVD. And before anyone mentions that all of those things could be legitimately funny -- yes, they absolutely can: see Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Orgazmo for proof.
Bucky Larson (Swardson) is a small-town nerd somewhere in his 20s or 30s. On the same day after being fired from his day job bagging groceries, his buddies try to teach him how to masturbate (!) while showing him a 16mm porno that just so happens to star his parents, Edward Hermann and Miriam Flynn. Inspired by his family's stardom, Bucky packs his bags and heads to Hollywood to strike it big; problem is that Bucky isn't packing too much in his jeans. Thankfully, a has-been porno director (Don Johnson) at the local diner Bucky frequents takes pity on the kid and gives him a shot. When the disastrous footage is uploaded to the Internet on a lark, it makes Bucky a viral sensation, leading to a rise to the top of the porn business like no other. Meanwhile, Bucky tries to use his go-get-'em attitude to woo a beautiful waitress (Christina Ricci), who somehow falls for him despite his buck teeth and general lack of manliness.
Ricci, to her credit, is quite lovely in the film. Her charm keeps a lot of the momentum going and helps to make the proceedings less grating than your normal dreadful comedy. The picture is kind of sweet in its own backward way -- and a few chuckles are gained by its supporting cast, including SNL veteran Kevin Nealon, who steals a few scenes. Walking away from this, one must wonder if writer/producer Adam Sandler simply thinks staring at a wall is funny. Considering that his Happy Madison production company continues to make films, Sandler's built-in audience might just eat this up -- but their acceptance doesn't mean that this film delivers the goods, as there aren't enough laughs to warrant any kind of recommendation.