As I've mentioned before, rom-coms aren't my usual thing. But having thoroughly enjoyed The Wedding Singer (1998) and 50 First Dates (2004), I was more than willing to give another vehicle for Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore a try.

Sandler often isn't to my taste, but his previous outings with Barrymore were gold. Blended does not disappoint. In this movie he is Jim, a father of three girls whose wife died of cancer and whose social skills lack polish, and she is Lauren, the mother of two boys whose ex-husband is an ass. They meet for a disastrous blind date and part with equal disdain; circumstances thrust them together on a few awkward occasions until, in one great mix-up, they both end up on a group family vacation in Africa.

What's especially sweet about this movie is the way Jim and Lauren first develop affection for the other's kids, then begin developing a grudging respect for each other's parenting skills. What eventually builds between them is an organic outgrowth from their mutual devotion to being good caregivers, and that's nice to see.

The movie benefits from support from several people, particularly Bella Thorne, Emma Fuhrmann, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Kyle Red Silverstein, Braxton Beckham, Terry Crews and Abdoulaye NGom. There's plenty of humor and good scenery, and the chemistry between these two leading actors hasn't lost its shine.