SUN SCORE

*1/2

Whaddya know, there's a heart beating beneath all the dumb crudeness that is Adam Sandler's film career.

Not that it makes all that much difference: His humor is still determinedly dumb and almost proudly offensive, and the crudity of it is enough to make anyone, even the most open-minded, blanch. In short, the movie's probably not going to attract much in the way of converts to the Sandler fold, while his fans will think it's just swell.

Still, the animated Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights - the tale of a rotten guy dedicated to making everyone's life as miserable as his own, until a little guy with abundant holiday spirit gets the better of him - at least evinces detectable signs of humanity.

If only it showed a little bit, even a teensy tiny little bit, in the way of taste.

Sandler provides the voice for three characters: Joey Stone, the aforementioned town jerk; Whitey, a short old Jewish guy, with feet of two different sizes, who sees something worth saving in this unreformed juvenile delinquent; and Whitey's sister, Eleanor, who, we're reminded constantly, looks like an owl (Sandler's insistence in finding humor in people's physical shortcomings is as rampant and repellent as ever).

The plot is pretty predictable, as Joey treats Whitey and Eleanor like pond scum until the time comes for his comeuppance and obligatory change of heart.

It's all pretty base (for example, Whitey gets frozen solid in a coating of human waste, then things really get gross) and humorless, not to mention unimaginative. Still, let's give the guy credit; things come to a good, even moving, end.

But not too much credit: Sandler still revels in the movie equivalent of fifth-grade bathroom humor, and all the happy endings in the world can't make up for scenes like the one where a fat boy, who's just been kidded for having breasts, is discovered trying on a bra. This is funny? In what universe?

It's hard to figure who this picture is supposed to be for. Although a cartoon, it's way too mean-spirited and crass for young kids (parents, be forewarned!). And the idea that any substantial number of adults would find this sort of thing entertaining ... let's pray civilization hasn't come to that.

(The movie gets bumped up a half star for including a new version of Sandler's hilarious "Hanukkah Song." But it doesn't play until the closing credits, so you'd be best served by waiting to hear it on the radio.)

8 Crazy Nights

Directed by Seth Kearsley

Starring Adam Sandler (voice)

Released by Columbia Pictures

Rated PG-13 (language, nonstop crudity)

Time 71 minutes