So, Adam Sandler has a new movie coming out. I can practically feel your excitement permeating through my screen.
Regardless if you like the guy or not, I think we can all agree the ratio of terrible Adam Sandler films to good Adam Sandler films is pretty unfavorable.
Let’s go through the list, shall we?
Good Adam Sandler movies:
- Airheads (1994)
I know this isn’t technically an “Adam Sandler film”, but I’m including it for pity’s sake. - Billy Madison (1995)
- Happy Gilmore (1996)
Which is really just Billy Madison golfing. - The Wedding Singer (1998)
Which has less to do with Adam Sandler and more to do with it being set in the ’80s and starring Drew Barrymore, whom I adore. - Big Daddy (1999)
- 50 First Dates (2004)
I’ll give this one a pass (again, saved by Drew Barrymore) even though it’s just rinse & repeat of the Wedding Singer formula.
I can’t help but notice that most of these movies are from early in Adam Sandler’s film career. It could be that Sandler blew his comedic wad too soon, but I’m more inclined to believe that Fry’s analysis is accurate:
Bad Adam Sandler movies:
- The Waterboy (1998)
Yeah I know, there are a lot of you out there who love this film and I admit it has its moments, but even Fairuza Balk and Kathy Bates, whom I both love, couldn’t save it for me. - Bulletproof (1996)
- Little Nicky (2000)
- Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
- Mr. Deeds (2002)
- Eight Crazy Nights (2002)
- Anger Management (2003)
- Spanglish (2004)
- The Longest Yard (2005)
- Click (2006)
- Bedtime Stories (2008)
- You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (2008)
- I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)
- Funny People (2009)
- Grown Ups (2010)
- Just Go With It (2011)
I’m not much of a Jennifer Aniston fan, so this one was two scoops of fail for me. - Jack and Jill (2011)
Clearly, the list of bad Adam Sandler movies is substantially longer.
I’m sure some of you are also going to give me flack about Punch-Drunk Love and Spanglish, which are more serious films that Adam Sandler fans love to hold up as proof of his supposed acting “range” and “ability.” I’m sorry, maybe I’m just pre-conditioned from decades of movies where Adam Sandler acts like a complete idiot, but I’ve seen both of these movies and nobody has been able to successfully convince me they’re any good. (I’ve yet to see Reign Over Me, so I’ll reserve judgement on that one.)
Adam Sandler is funniest, even charming, when he’s just being himself. Give me Red Hooded Sweatshirt Sandler over any of his dumb movie characters any day. Hell, I’ll even settle for Jimmy Fallon’s Celebrity Jeopardy impression of Adam Sandler over the likes of Zohan or Jill.
I don’t dislike Adam Sandler. Honestly, I don’t. He has a lot of good ideas (which would probably be better executed by someone else) and he’s contributed a lot to his craft. I just think the guy tries too hard.
By the way, here’s the trailer for That’s My Boy, that new Adam Sandler movie I mentioned earlier.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUU0tV0zv5E
I won’t pay to see it in a theater, but I’m sure I’ll catch it on Netflix or cable eventually because I enjoy torturing myself I keep holding out hope that one of these days Adam Sandler is going to make a good movie again.
