In honor of next week’s release of A24’s Uncut Gems, we had a serious and overdue discussion about our favorite Adam Sandler films. This leads us to really pick our favorites, so here are the 10 best Adam Sandler films by PII.
What began as a fun discourse of the 10 best Adam Sandler films by PII snowballed into his filmography’s serious dissection. The consensus about Sandler films is usually a toss-up. I asked friends around me, and the response was either love his work or hate it; there seems to be no middle ground.
Seemingly paradoxical, the contrast in the division seems to shadow Sandler throughout his entire career. Critics have been less kind, yet viewers love him, which is why audiences gravitate towards him.
Dubbing him “man-child” and other silly labels over the years, nevertheless, Sandler seems to take it in stride and even finds humor in it.
Like when he mentioned to Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show, “On Rotten Tomatoes all my movies get zeros and stuff, so we figured just put ‘100% Fresh’ and get, one time in my life, a good score.” Sandler’s ability to engage with viewers despite being critically panned says a lot about his acting and the subtlety he brings to his characters.
While his comedies are hit or miss, he’s able to convey vulnerability, whether in a serious role or not.
Uncut Gems (2019)
As we previously mentioned, to most critics, Sandler’s a Hollywood enigma. Yet our favorite Sandler is the one that can go head to head with the best of them. This is where Uncut Gems comes in. Sandler’s performance as Howard Ratner in the Safdie Brothers’ highly anticipated sophomore film is outstanding.
Ratner is a jewelry-store owner in New York’s Diamond District circa 2012. He’s on a gambling high to pay off his debts by auctioning a precious opal that allegedly hails from one of the lost Jewish tribes of Ethiopia.
The entire film is dripping in anxiety-induced raw nerves while delusional Ratner’s dripping in finesse thanks to costume designer Miyako Bellizzi and Mordechai Rubinstein. However, we disagree with dubbing it “schmuck style;” in Latinx culture, that’s how our tíos dress, complete with chunky gold chains and chunky pinky rings.
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017)
Noah Baumbach’s (Marriage Story, The Squid, and the Whale) ensemble cast follows the dynamics of a dysfunctional family. Set with a bittersweet lens of adult siblings trying to live in the shadow of their sculptor father, Harold Meyerowitz.
Unlike anything before, Sandler’s role is still moments of the overly angry guy audiences know him for. Sandler’s subtle performance is nuanced when not solely the comedic crutch. If you’re familiar with Baumbach, you know you can expect some laughs but also expect some emotional turmoil.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
Punch-Drunk Love furthers Sandler’s depth as an actor in Paul Thomas Anderson’s directorial. This film’s delightfully touching while utilizing Sandler’s comedic persona to explore the life of a lonely guy.
Sandler’s freedom of a strictly comedic formula works for him as his portrayal of Barry Egan, an executive in a company with a product line of novelty toiletries. Struggling with his erratic temper, a love-starved and desperate Barry longs for privacy. His seven sisters are always on his case and putting him down.
That changes when he serendipitously meets Lena Leonard (Emily Watson). However, their budding relationship faces challenges like Lena’s crazed boss (the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman).
The Wedding Singer (1998)
Without a doubt, another one of all-time my favorite romcoms. The first Sandler movie features the female gaze in a positive love story.
Sandler’s portrayal of Robbie Hart, the perpetual nice guy who craves to be married and grow old with his love, gets dumped on his wedding day. As a result, he listens to The Cure even writes his own Robert Smith inspired song. Suffice to say, and he loses all hope.
Until he meets Julia (Drew Barrymore), who enlists his expertise to help plan her wedding. Except for one tiny snag, Robbie and Julia fall in love. It’s sweet yet funny and also set in the ’80s, which makes for an excellent soundtrack.
Funny People (2009)
Perhaps Judd Apatow’s warmest and most mature film to date involves Adam Sandler as comedian George Simmons receive life-altering news, a leukemia diagnosis.
Taking the initiative, George decides to help a struggling fellow comic named Ira (Seth Rogen) by becoming his mentor.
The two become friends, helping each other along the way. George teaches Ira the art of stand-up comedy while Ira helps George establish his legacy.
Reign Over Me (2007)
Adam Sandler stars as Charlie Fineman, a Manhattan dentist who loses his family during the World Trade Center terrorist attacks of September 11th. Still reeling from grief over their deaths, Charlie disconnects himself from reality and the rest of the world.
Until he runs into his former college roommate, Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle), and the two rekindle their friendship.
Alan is struggling with both family and professional responsibilities. Yet, somehow his newly renewed bond with Charlie inspires him even if Charlie is reluctant, sparking a turning point in their lives.
Spanglish (2004)
A single mother and Mexican immigrant Flor (Paz Vega) finds housekeeping work with a privileged couple, the dramatic and a bit manic Deborah (Téa Leoni), and the ever so chill John Clasky (Adam Sandler) along with their two children.
Struggling to find a balance at work because of her daughter, Cristina, Deborah moves them into their home.
Cultures clash as the two very different familial styles struggle in sharing one space while raising their own kids. It’s more than just a Latinx maid moves in with a white family; Flor is more nuanced refinement helps the Clasky’s more than they realize.
50 First Dates (2004)
The organic chemistry between Sandler and Barrymore is evident again in this rom-com. Womanizer Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) sets his sights on a new prospective romance in Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore). Except things get a bit messy when he realizes that she suffers from short-term memory loss caused by accident.
As Lucy sleeps, her memory is erased every night, causing her not to remember the day before.
Happy Gilmore (1996)
To achieve his lifelong goal of being a professional hockey player, Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) comes up short. Until he discovers he has a knack for an entirely different sport, golf.
Happy enters a golf tournament to win enough earnings to help buy his beloved grandmother (Frances Bay) her home. She loses, causing her to enter a retirement facility with a horrible orderly staff member (Ben Stiller).
With the help of Chubbs Peterson (Carl Weathers), Happy utilizes his powerful slap shot to work for him in golf. Happy turns the golf world upside down with his foulmouth and anger yet becomes an unlikely lovable golf hero. Except when fighting Bob Barker, which still cracks me up when hearing, “the price is wrong, bitch!”.
Big Daddy (1999)
Avoiding responsibility all of his life, Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler) is living the retired life as he lives off his earnings from a lawsuit after a cab runs over his foot. Living in a Manhattan loft that he shares with his lawyer roommate (Jon Stewart), Sonny finds himself getting dumped by his girlfriend for a much older man.
Wanting to prove that he’s ready to be an adult and grow up, he adopts his roommate’s five-year-old love child, Julian (Dylan and Cole Sprouse), to impress his ex.
Along the way, cynical Sonny learns some life lessons from having Julian in his life.
