Although it initially seemed like Adam Sandler was branching out in some interesting dramatic ways at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, neither Jason Reitman’s Men, Women and Children nor Thomas McCarthy’s The Cobbler went over particularly well with critics. The latter, in particular, was singled out by many as one of the worst films of the fest, and now we can see why as the first official trailer for the film has finally arrived online. Are we absolutely sure this was directed by the same guy who did The Visitor and The Station Agent?

The movie stars Sandler as Max Simkin, a lonely cobbler who discovers that his magic stitching machine allows him to repair people’s shoes and then assume their identity when he puts those shoes on. Clearly it is intended as a take on the old adage about walking a mile in another man’s shoes, but the movie looks like a weird mash-up of a low brow Happy Madison comedy and an earnest modern day fairy tale. The Cobbler also stars Dustin Hoffman, Dan Stevens, Steve Buscemi, Ellen Barkin and Method Man and the release date is still TBA. Check out the trailer after the jump and see what you think.