The Cobbler

Max Simkin repairs shoes in a New York shop that has belonged to his family for generations. Stuck in a routine he finds dull, he discovers an old stitching machine in the back room that carries a strange power: when he puts on a customer's repaired shoes, he takes on that person's appearance. Max begins using the machine to slip into other people's lives, including those of a customer's girlfriend, his own father, and a local criminal. The film is a comedy with dramatic and fantasy elements.

Tom McCarthy directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Paul Sado, and produced it with Mary Jane Skalski. It was his fourth feature, following The Station Agent, The Visitor and Win Win, and it came before Spotlight. Adam Sandler plays Max, with Method Man as Leon Ludlow, Dustin Hoffman as Abraham Simkin, Steve Buscemi as Jimmy, Melonie Diaz as Carmen Herrara and Ellen Barkin as Elaine Greenawalt.

Made for about 10 million dollars, the film took roughly 7 million at the worldwide box office. Audiences rate it below average, at 5.8 out of 10 on IMDb from around 65,000 votes and 5.9 out of 10 on TMDB from about 1,800 votes. A critics' rating of 3.2 out of 10 from 70 reviews places it well under those audience scores.