The Adam Sandler Lounge

[Lammetje]

It took us nine years, but it's finally here: a thread dedicated to the one and only Adam Sandler!













What are your favorites? Which ones are the worst? Do you like his cameos in Rob Schneider movies?

Note: the poll question is about feature films with Adam as an actor (voice acting included). Movies he only produced don't count.

[Lammetje]

I've seen 23. 50 First Dates and Happy Gilmore are my favorites. There are a few which I've rated 4/10, but no strong dislikes so far. I have yet to see his film debut Going Overboard, which is among IMDb's Bottom 100.

[Onderhond]

I've seen 48 films.

Top 3:
01. 4.5* - Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
02. 3.5* - The Cobbler (2014)
03. 3.5* - Pixels (2015)

Flop 3:
01. 0.5* - The Animal (2001)
02. 0.5* - Going Overboard (1989)
03. 1.0* - Airheads (1994)

Most of his films are amusing. They're very easy to watch, don't really linger, but they're upbeat and pleasant. Nothing too outstanding or memorable though, also quite a few flukes.

The ones I didn't see (according to IMDb)

Dirty Work (1998)
Shakes the Clown (1991)
Mixed Nuts (1994)
Der Weg des Ruhms (2011)

[AdamH]

Great topic! Coincidentally, we've been discussing doing a podcast episode on Adam Sandler. Probably centred around his dramatic roles. I've always liked Adam Sandler for some reason (less for his films and more because he just seems like a decent guy).

When I was about 13/14, I saw Happy Gilmore for the first time and loved it. I remember going on a spree of watching Sandler films after that but I gave up after a few because the quality of the films really wasn't very good (even when I watched in my early teens).

Ones I've really liked: Happy Gilmore, Punch-Drunk Love, Spanglish. I haven't seen it for a long time and can't remember it very well but I think The Wedding Singer was one of the better ones too.

50 First Dates was fairly average but enjoyable enough. Click really failed to deliver on an interesting idea and I though it was very, very average. I've seen a whole bunch of other mediocre ones such as Big Daddy, The Waterboy, Mr Deeds etc. (all very forgettable). I also remember seeing Eight Crazy Nights a long, long time ago and thinking it was awful.

I am interested in watching more of his dramatic roles and I definitely will if we do a podcast on him. I'd like to watch Uncut Gems and Reign Over Me (any other dramatic ones?).

[GruesomeTwosome]

I am interested in watching more of his dramatic roles and I definitely will if we do a podcast on him. I'd like to watch Uncut Gems and Reign Over Me (any other dramatic ones?).

There’s also The Meyerovitz Stories (directed by Noah Baumbach), which I haven’t seen yet but I’d like to. It’s on Netflix. And the Judd Apatow film Funny People (2009) is definitely a dramedy that required a little more from Sandler. I’m also more of a fan of his rare drama-inclined roles, with Punch-Drunk Love being by far my favorite film and performance from him, which perfectly combines his comedic sensibilities with some dramatic chops. And he was indeed very good in Uncut Gems as well.

As for his more common comedy stuff, I loved Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore as a kid especially, and seeing them again as an adult I still do find them quite funny, especially Billy Madison which has a strong absurdist/bizarre comedy streak in it, which is absent from his later, increasingly lazy/lowest common denominator/unfunny comedies. I basically dislike or outright hate all of his other “straight comedy” films outside of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore.

[Lammetje]

Most of his films are amusing. They're very easy to watch, don't really linger, but they're upbeat and pleasant. Nothing too outstanding or memorable though, also quite a few flukes.

Yeah, agreed. 48 seen is impressive by the way!

I am interested in watching more of his dramatic roles and I definitely will if we do a podcast on him. I'd like to watch Uncut Gems and Reign Over Me (any other dramatic ones?).

Funny People perhaps? I don't remember that one very well though.

Edit: I didn't know about that podcast episode. Quite a coincidence!

[blueboybob]

50 First Dates is my all time favorite film. Not because its a great film, but its the first film my wife and I watched together (its also rather good).

Punch Drunk Love is amazing too.

Also the old comedites (happy gilmore, mr deeds, waterboy, wedding singer, billy madison) are the types of things you can put on and watch over and over again


I have seen 71/85 (84%) movies he is part of

[TraverseTown]

Someone needs to a do a fan edit of 50 First Dates where they take out the scenes with the walrus/sea animals.

[blocho]

12 movies.

I just saw The Meyerowitz Stories, and Sandler was fine. A bit one note, certainly. He's still leaning on his adult-with-outbursts-of-childish-rage schtick, something he's been mining for more than two decades. But he's entertaining enough.

Overall, I'm not a big fan. But I don't know if I've ever laughed more in a theater than when I saw The Waterboy in 1998. I was 13. I wonder if it holds up today. I have seen Happy Gilmore in the past decade, and I think it holds up very well.

[sebby]

Not an interesting actor, but likeable enough (unlike many of his buddies like Schnedier who are unwatchable). Farley was actually the most talented of the group by a fair amount and I really wonder how he would have taken to dramatic work. Anywya Sandler's okay in things like Uncut Gems but it's not like there aren't 1000 others who could have done what he did in that film.

So a big ehh from me. I liked him as a kid when my sense of humor aligned more with his work, but as an adult not so much.

[Lammetje]

But I don't know if I've ever laughed more in a theater than when I saw The Waterboy in 1998. I was 13. I wonder if it holds up today. I have seen Happy Gilmore in the past decade, and I think it holds up very well.

I rewatched The Waterboy not too long ago and it was fun. I've seen Happy Gilmore probably more often than any other feature film.

[OldAle1]

Only seen 4. He came along when I was already in my late 20s-early 30s, and never having been into his kind of dumbass comedy, even as a kid, I never saw the appeal as an adult certainly. Only a small handful of those I haven't seen look like they'd even be tolerable, and none look like they'd actually be good. Apart from moments like now - bad movie challenge - the idea of watching bad comedies just isn't something that comes to mind very often. Even if they're official checks.

[mightysparks]

I've seen 15. I've never been a fan, don't really hate him either but I've never liked him or his type of films. A couple are ok (Billy Madison, 50 First Dates, Click) and Uncut Gems, and his performance, was fantastic.

[Fergenaprido]

Using this list as a guide, I've seen 9/47, but the list must be incomplete since Onderhond's seen 48.

7.8/10 - Spanglish, The Wedding Singer, and 50 First Dates
7.0/10 - Happy Gilmore*, Punch-Drunk Love, Just Go With It, Hotel Transylvania
6.8/10 - Big Daddy*
5.4/10 - The Waterboy*

Those top 3 are solid comedies that I would recommend to anyone, and I think they work because they're not simply Adam Sandler vehicles, but more interesting stories.

The three * I saw as a teenager so probably deserve a rewatch, though I'd only really be interested in seeing Happy Gilmore again. I'm not a huge fan of "Adam Sandler comedies" though, so I've generally avoided the rest of them.

Of his unseen films, I'm most interested to see Billy Madison, Mr. Deeds, Funny People, That's My Boy, Men Women & Children, and Uncut Gems, and maybe Murder Mystery and the other Hotel Transylvania films; "most" being a relative term, of course. And Going Overboard, if just to see why it's so bad. Oh, and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry to see just how offensive it actually gets. Criticker also thinks I'd enjoy Reign Over Me, so maybe I'll give that one a go too.

[flavo5000]

Looks like I've seen 22 movies with Sandler in them. I do have a soft spot for Happy Gilmore which still has some funny stuff in it, and I really liked Punch Drunk Love and Uncut Gems. Funny People was ok but has some issues. Honestly the Hotel Transylvania movies have been pleasant to watch. 50 First Dates and The Wedding Singer were both pretty decent.

Many of his others I've seen are just bad though. I thought PIxels was just lazy and terrible, ruining a decent premise. Click starts with a decent premise and even starts to explore the repercussions of having such a power then gets incredibly saccharin like several of Sandler's movie tend to.I don't even wanna talk about junk like Zohan, Little Nicky or Jack & Jill.

[Lammetje]

Using this list as a guide, I've seen 9/47, but the list must be incomplete since Onderhond's seen 48.

Missing from the list:

• Dirty Work (uncredited cameo)
• Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (uncredited voice cameo)
• The Hot Chick (uncredited cameo)
• Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (uncredited cameo)

[OldAle1]

[*]Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (uncredited voice cameo)

That's one of the four I've seen The other three are not that surprising - Punch-Drunk Love, Uncut Gems and 50 First Dates. And I actually liked all three of them but I know from the bits and pieces I've seen of others - and the lengthy RedLetterMedia takedowns of some of them - that they are most definitely not for me.

[Lammetje]

• Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (uncredited voice cameo)

That's one of the four I've seen The other three are not that surprising - Punch-Drunk Love, Uncut Gems and 50 First Dates. And I actually liked all three of them but I know from the bits and pieces I've seen of others - and the lengthy RedLetterMedia takedowns of some of them - that they are most definitely not for me.

You'd probably like The Wedding Singer as well. Go on then, put it on your watchlist!

[OldAle1]

• Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (uncredited voice cameo)

That's one of the four I've seen The other three are not that surprising - Punch-Drunk Love, Uncut Gems and 50 First Dates. And I actually liked all three of them but I know from the bits and pieces I've seen of others - and the lengthy RedLetterMedia takedowns of some of them - that they are most definitely not for me.

You'd probably like The Wedding Singer as well. Go on then, put it on your watchlist!

That's one I"ll probably see eventually, yeah. I do like romcoms more than most people (any people?) here. Actually just noticed that he's listed as being in Shakes the Clown which I've also seen, though I barely remember it. And I think I'll probably see Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison at some point just because they're his most famous films from his peak star days, and they don't look as bad as the later stuff. I will also note that I've seen little with Jim Carrey - haven't seen either Ace Ventura for example. Most of the other aggressive-male-stupidity comedy from the past, oh, 30-40 years has passed me by also. Maybe that's what I'm missing in life.

[blocho]

Most of the other aggressive-male-stupidity comedy from the past, oh, 30-40 years has passed me by also. Maybe that's what I'm missing in life.

It definitely is. I solved most of my life problems by watching Old School and Super Troopers ten times in a row.

[Mario Gaborović]

I love Anger Management and to some extent Happy Gilmore.

The worst for me was Jack and Jill.

Indeed, I've never been bored despite how stupid his films are. But he's definitely not in the league of Carey or Stiller. First The Cable Guy and then Zoolander might be my favourite films of those kind.

[Nathan Treadway]

Any is too many. I've seen too many.

[Mario Gaborović]

Any is too many. I've seen too many.

Gotta be the same feeling North Americans have for Kusturica's Black Cat White Cat. I didn't laugh once, hated all the stereotypes and unreal (Roma girl with blue eyes? Never seeen one, and there's loads of them living over here), but foreigners loved it. Now telling an American I love Anger Management make me feel somewhat ashamed of my taste, since he's obviously put off by it.

Would you arrange voting for the best & worst Sandler film, Lammetje?

[shugs]

Using this list as a guide, I've seen 9/47, but the list must be incomplete since Onderhond's seen 48.

You can also use https://www.imdb.com/seen/nm0001191-actor/ if you rate movies on IMDb.

I've seen 18 of his movies. Not his biggest fan, especially when he does his whispered shouts, but I overall enjoy his movies. My highest rated is Uncut Gems and my lowest is The Week Of.

[Onderhond]

Using this list as a guide, I've seen 9/47, but the list must be incomplete since Onderhond's seen 48.

I based my list on IMDb (Movies + TV movies, job:actor, movies I rated). Like mentioned above, there might be very small cameos that I'm also counting

[Fergenaprido]

Yeah, I use imdb too, but it's much easier to get the number of films seen at a glance from icm.

Edit: Ah, you linked to the Seen feature as opposed to just the actor's page. I've never used that before.

[Lammetje]

Any is too many. I've seen too many.

Any is too many. I've seen too many.

Would you arrange voting for the best & worst Sandler film, Lammetje?

Hmm, that would mean two additional polls with over fifty options in each, right? I doubt that's possible. But I'm open to suggestions.

Using this list as a guide, I've seen 9/47, but the list must be incomplete since Onderhond's seen 48.

I based my list on IMDb (Movies + TV movies, job:actor, movies I rated). Like mentioned above, there might be very small cameos that I'm also counting

But aren't you counting shorts as well? The OP states that only feature films count.

[Onderhond]

But aren't you counting shorts as well? The OP states that only feature films count.

According to IMDb he has 55 Feature film credits. 2 TV Movies. That's what I based my stats on.

Not sure if this link works for others with an IMDb account, but that's where I checked.

[weirdboy]

I have seen 15 according to my informal tally.

He was quite good in Uncut Gems but I think I like Punch-Drunk Love better.

Lowest of the ones I have seen is You Don't Mess with the Zohan. In fact after watching that movie, I did not see another one with Adam Sandler for the next 12 years and it took a lot of convincing to get me to watch Uncut Gems.

[Lammetje]

But aren't you counting shorts as well? The OP states that only feature films count.

According to IMDb he has 55 Feature film credits. 2 TV Movies. That's what I based my stats on.

Not sure if this link works for others with an IMDb account, but that's where I checked.

Hmm, I see. There are a couple of entries on there which haven't been released yet, but it seems to be a comprehensive list. It even includes the mysterious documentary Der Weg des Ruhms (13 ratings).

[weirdboy]

I would have expected this data to fit a normal distribution, but the 31-40 bucket is just weird.

[GruesomeTwosome]

I have seen 15 according to my informal tally.

He was quite good in Uncut Gems but I think I like Punch-Drunk Love better.

Lowest of the ones I have seen is You Don't Mess with the Zohan. In fact after watching that movie, I did not see another one with Adam Sandler for the next 12 years and it took a lot of convincing to get me to watch Uncut Gems.

Almost the same across the board, for me. I counted 14 total films seen (only counting ones where Sandler has a prominent lead or supporting role, not cameos). Punch-Drunk Love followed by Uncut Gems are his standout performances. And thankfully I stopped with his stupid comedies right before Zohan; it was the godawful I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry from the year before that put me off from ever watching his straight comedies again.

[Lammetje]

I watched Hubie Halloween last night, I didn't like it.

[kongs_speech]

I am a huge fan of the Sandman and have seen 26 films, according to Letterboxd. He was such a big deal for me as a kid, and I can still put on nearly any of his pre-Netflix movies and have a good time. I don't know that the Netflix films are bad, I just haven't gotten around to them yet. Hubie Halloween was a blast, though, and while it's not Netflix, I'll submit That's My Boy as his most underrated and one of the funniest movies of the 2010s. The tasteless premise turned some people off, but I'd argue that its audacity is one of the main reasons it's funny.

Narrative features including Sandler that I have not seen (yet):

Airheads
The Animal
Bedtime Stories
Blended
Bulletproof
The Cobbler
Coneheads
Deuce Bigelow: European Gigolo
Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo
The Do-Over
Eight Crazy Nights
Going Overboard
The Hot Chick
Hotel Transylvania 2
Hotel Transylvania 3
Just Go with It
The Longest Yard
Mixed Nuts
Murder Mystery
Reign Over Me
The Ridiculous 6
Sandy Wexler
Spanglish
The Week Of
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Zookeeper

That's only 26 films. I might as well try to knock them out in 2021.

[Lammetje]

Looks like I have an excuse to bump this lovely lounge.

My ranked list: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/fav ... r=lammetje

For a brief second, I thought you seriously favorited the 88-million-$ full-length feature Pixels (2015) for theaters with no other leads than Adam Sandler and Kevin James.
Imagine I indeed saw it in theater (when I had a flatrate for one month - good times). It wasn't particularly good.

Ondie disagrees with that last sentence (I haven't seen it myself):

Top 3:
01. 4.5* - Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
02. 3.5* - The Cobbler (2014)
03. 3.5* - Pixels (2015)

[kongs_speech]

I watched and rather enjoyed Bulletproof last month. Wayans and Sandler make for a great mismatched comic duo, and I appreciate the violence that adds a genuine threat of danger. 3.5/5

[Lammetje]

I watched and rather enjoyed Bulletproof last month. Wayans and Sandler make for a great mismatched comic duo, and I appreciate the violence that adds a genuine threat of danger. 3.5/5

Yeah, Bulletproof was lots of fun.

[Bing147]

I've seen 23. Most of the earlier comedies, up until about 2005 or 2006, and then most of the dramatic work. I've only seen a couple of his comedies over the last 15 years.

There are some legitimate highlights. He's excellent in Punch Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, and Uncut Gems. Also still good in Funny People and Spanglish even if the films are more mediocre.

The Wedding Singer is a truly excellent romantic comedy and 50 First Dates is at times, though it insists on inserting gross out scenes that don't fit the tone of the rest of the film at all.

Happy Gilmore works. Not a great film or anything, but its funny and it works. Billy Madison has its moments, though other moments are pretty awful.

That's about the extent of what I can really recommend of those I've seen.

[Torgo]

You know I am unequivocal in my support of your instinctive bumping, Lammetje. There are threads one just shouldn't bring up.

19/50+ here.
Best: Uncut Gems + Punch-Drunk Love (obviously, and by far)
Worst: Grown Up 2, The Waterboy, Little Nicky, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Mr. Deeds, Billy Madison, Big Daddy, Just Go with It, Pixels, Anger Management
Worst of all time: Click OH MY GOD I DESPISE THAT FUCKING FILM.

it was the godawful I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry from the year before that put me off from ever watching his straight comedies again.

I see what you did there ..
(Am I now fit to write the next Adam Sandler script?)

[Torgo]

The problem with Sandler is not only his consequent performance of the same dimwit comedy formula - it might work better or worse depending on the quality of the script and jokes - but also his HORRIBLE frequent collaborators in front and behind the camera. Rob Schneider .. dear God.

And then there are directors such as Frank Coraci where a film might be doomed independent from their leads. I've seen 3 of his and voted them 2, 3 and 3 on IMDb (OldAle1, remember how you called me a generous rater? This is where the trash votes go out to). Around the World in 80 Days (2004) has likeable leads with Jackie Chan & Owen Wilson, still a piece of crap. Zookeeper .. I don't know and don't really want to try it. Kevin James films seem to be just so lame and stupid, and even he is a likeable guy, actually.

The other frequent director of Sandler is Dennis Dugan; a big part of his filmography are Adam Sandler flicks, which I haven't seen all. Problem Child (1990) & Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) don't give me high hopes that Dugan becomes a great director for comedy as soon as you remove the Sandlerage from the bill. The Benchwarmers (2006) .. have not seen it, again, but there they are, one more time: Rob Schneider, David Spade, Jon Heder .. not a good sign.