Adam Sandler Movies: Awful, or awfully funny?

[Fro]

So Adam Sandler movies always get panned by both critics and your typical online forum poster, but they also almost always make hundreds of millions of dollars in the box office (his most recent one - That's My Boy - being one of the few exceptions that didn't crush it financially). The general public flocks to them despite their poor reception from the moviegoer elite. So who is right, Ebert & Roeper or John Q. Public?

The answer of course is a mixed bag, but I wanted to make this thread to acknowledge that some of them are actually very funny. And I'm not talking about his old ones that everyone accepts as classics, I'm talking about the recent ones. Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer are all widely praised and accepted as comedic gems (except by critics in the case of the first two). The Waterboy too, although to a lesser degree. Then beginning with Big Daddy people started to turn on him and panning his films became the popular opinion despite continued blockbuster results. For the most part I can't really argue with these opinions since most of them are awful, but here are the exceptions in my book:

Big Daddy (45% on RT) - I'm not exactly sure what the general consensus is on this one at Rajah, but I love this film. It's a simple idea, your typically immature Adam Sandler character adopts a kid, and the result is a perfect blend of comedy and heart.

Grandma's Boy (18% on RT): Sandler is not in this movie but it's undoubtedly a Sandler flick with all the typical Happy Madison bit actors carrying it. And I think it's THE most underrated by critics. This movie is a cult classic that my friends and I all love and quote repeatedly (SHIT'S WEAK!). Truly hilarious stuff all around. The character of JP is one of the funniest things ever.

You Don't Mess with the Zohan (37% on RT) - So funny. Makes fun of the whole Israel/Palestine conflict, and their American immigrants in general, in a really funny/stupid way. The Israeli electronics store "Going Out of Business" cracks me up.

Grown Ups (10% on RT) - I can't defend this movie as being good like I can the above 3. It's bad, but it's got enough laughs to make it enjoyable.

Just Go With It - (19% on RT) - This is actually what prompted me to make this thread. I just watched it, and laughed my ass off. The chemistry between Sandler and Aniston (who btw is now at on-screen comedic boyfriend #37 I believe) is great, so are the kids, and Nick Swardson once again cracks me up in his zany supporting role. And holy fuck Brooklyn Decker is hot.

Then there are the ones that really are awful like Click, Anger Management, Chuck and Larry, Mr. Deeds, Little Nicky and Jack & Jill.

So what do you think? Which of his films do you have a soft spot/guilty pleasure for?

[Peter Griffin]

i quite liked click and anger management so what the fuck do i know eh?

[Reveille]

Happy Gilmore 2: Run for the Stanley Cup!!!

[mth]

I caught the majority of Zohan on TV and thought it was pretty funny.

[The Doc]

I think critics in general aren't good judges of movies. There are a few, I really find the movie critic from the Escapist to be pretty useful. As a someone with friends in the movie industry I think it's just a part of knowing too much about good story telling and for them it gets in the way of the fun. Same way critics are usually pretty harsh on action flicks. Which is why I don't pay them a lot of attention, even when they are vote sites like rotten tomatoes but that's more a matter of how people tend to vote which you can't fix.

I was never a big fan of Sandler, he's got some great flicks, Waterboy, Click, and Chuck and Larry and I'm sure there were a few more that I either haven't seen or don't remember.

[Reveille]

Billy Madison 2: Fortune 500 CEO

[Fro]

I think critics in general aren't good judges of movies. There are a few, I really find the movie critic from the Escapist to be pretty useful. As a someone with friends in the movie industry I think it's just a part of knowing too much about good story telling and for them it gets in the way of the fun. Same way critics are usually pretty harsh on action flicks. Which is why I don't pay them a lot of attention, even when they are vote sites like rotten tomatoes but that's more a matter of how people tend to vote which you can't fix.

Yeah, I would say critics are fine with grading dramas but struggle mightily with comedies. Another non-Sandler movie I often point to is Super Troopers, which is one of my favorite comedies of all time and was absolutely beloved by just about everyone in my high school yet it holds a 35% mark on RT. Seriously? A dram-com might get good reviews but a slapstick/stoner/silly comedy seems to always get panned, like these critics just can't enjoy a comedy without a character arc or heart warming moment at the end.

[Pete Cash]

I've never thought critics are harsh on action films. Die hard for example is critically acclaimed. In fact its critic score on rotten tomatoes is higher than the user score.

The thing with Adam Sandler films is that they are lazy as hell. I liked his early films but the rest is absolute lazy garbage.

[Hero!]

50 First Dates is a cute little love story.

[darkhorse]

I fall somewhere between being a fan of his and merely giving him a lifetime pass for Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. I loved just about any movie of his from Billy Madison up until Anger Management, but since then he's kind of been hit-or-miss for me. I loved Click and Funny People as well as Grandma's Boy, but there are others in recent years (Jack and Jill, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry) that I didn't really care for.

I think Adam Sandler gets panned for two specific reasons: 1. it's kind of fashionable to rip on his movies, and 2. humor is subjective. Going back to the latter, I think it's pointless to rely on reviews because what one person likes, another one doesn't - not to mention that the majority of critics tend to overanalyze films. It works out great for other genres such as drama and horror but not so much for a genre like comedy where the biggest reason to see a comedy film is just to sit back and enjoy it. I'll also use a non-Sandler film as an example: I loved Step Brothers, so trusting someone like Richard Roeper for a useful review would have been pointless.

[MikeHunt]

Everything but happy Gilmore is dog shit and for morons.

[Mik]

Sandler gets panned because his comedy is really really lazy. No other reason.

[Judas Iscariot]

Stupid and lazy and awfully funny.

I don't give a shit, I even giggled like a little girl at Jack and Jill.

Sandler 4 prez.

[Ringo]

Pretty awful... nowadays. Obviously Punch Drunk Love is an exception but it's not really a "Sandler movie". I enjoyed Mr. Deeds at the time but I saw it again recently and didn't find it as amusing. There's some fun to be had in Waterboy and Happy Gilmore too. These days he's on autopilot churning out trash because he can, which is fine, but he didn't used to be all that bad like some people make out imo.

[Rip]

I liked Happy Gilmore, Waterboy isn't terrible... Other than that I can't think of one I've watched through.

[wardy]

Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore and The Wedding singer are all awesome. Big Daddy and Zohan are decent, and the rest look pretty shit.

[Version 6]

Haven't found him funny on a regular basis in a looooooooooooooooooooong time. His films these days could honestly be someone on SNL parodying Adam Sandler.

It's such a shame too, because the man is talented. He shows some real dramatic chops in Big Daddy, Funny People and Punch Drunk Love. But he then goes and ruins it all for himself with pretty much everything else over the course of the past 10 years.

I dont think history will remember him well. My frustration with him has nothing to do with lack of talent. The talent is quite clearly there. It just gets wasted which is the biggest shame of them all.

[The Rick]

Another non-Sandler movie I often point to is Super Troopers, which is one of my favorite comedies of all time and was absolutely beloved by just about everyone in my high school yet it holds a 35% mark on RT. Seriously? A dram-com might get good reviews but a slapstick/stoner/silly comedy seems to always get panned, like these critics just can't enjoy a comedy without a character arc or heart warming moment at the end.

While Super Troopers is very funny, I wouldn't say it is a great movie by any means. Another example would be Tommy Boy. Tommy Boy is one of my favorite comedies of all time, but I wouldn't put it on a best movie list. I wouldn't put it anywhere near that list. The same would go for the Jack Ass movies. Are they very entertaining? Yes. Are they great movies? No. I'm not saying critics are correct all the time, but what they are looking for and what your presenting are different positions.


I equate Adam Sandler's flicks to reality television. They can be very entertaining, but rarely are they ever good.

[Brian M.]

Click is one of my favorite Sandler movies. Genuinely funny for the first half and very moving for the second half. The concept is a little bit out there but the emotions strike pretty realistically.

I don't even bother with shit like Jack and Jill. I can just tell it's not going to be my type of film. But my friends all seem to love That's My Boy, so I'll likely give that a shot. All in all I like Sandler a lot and believe he is a very talented comedian. He just leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to choosing roles for himself.

[Simmo Fortyone]

The large majority of comedians stop trying once they are successful. And who can blame them? Once you strike gold with your formula there's not really any need to mess with it. Waterboy was his first big hit, and since then he's phoned in most of his leading comedic roles (Little Nicky, Big Daddy, Mr Deeds, Chuck & Larry, Zohan, Jack & Jill, That's My Boy) that go by the formula.

[Version 6]

Happy Gilmore and the Wedding Singer were before Waterboy. He was a cult favourite from Airheads/Billy Maddison but I'd say it was Wedding Singer that made him a mainstream comedic lead as opposed to Waterboy.

[Simmo Fortyone]

Balls, I forgot Wedding Singer. Airheads, Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison weren't exactly box office heavyweights.

[Version 6]

I know mate. That's why I said "cult favourite".

Playing opposite Drew is what made im MR BIG TIME as opposed to Mr funny voices.

[Dream-Evil]

I liked The Longest Yard...

[Beefy]

I saw The Wedding Singer last year but that was the first time I'd ever seen Adam Sandler in anything.

[Jacknife]

Happy Gilmore fantastic film, so is Billy Madison. He's fine without his lame friends like David Spade and Rob Schneider.

[Matty C]

I like Sandler movies in general but I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to movies. I’ve seen a lot of them too, off the top of my head:

Billy Madison
Happy Gilmore
The Waterboy
Mr. Deeds
Big Daddy
Grown Ups
50 First Dates (1,000 times since my wife loves it)
Reign Over Me
Chuck and Larry
Don’t Mess with the Zohan
The Longest Yard
Click (most of it)

Strangely enough though, I have not seen The Wedding Singer. I have also purposely avoided some of the ones I thought wouldn’t work for me, like Jack and Jill, That’s My Boy, Little Nicky, etc. With that said, I have enjoyed the vast majority of the movies that I’ve seen. Mr. Deeds and Chuck and Larry were probably my least favourites and even Mr. Deeds was fine for me on initial viewing. It just fell down after seeing it a few more times.

It’s the same stuff in general, I agree, but I guess I’m ok with it. Reign Over Me was pretty different though, and a pretty darn good performance if I remember correctly. I don’t think it did well though.

[Stringer Bell]

Three pages and hardly any mention of Funny People? I thought that was his best movie in years. A bit on the long side, but it's quality.

[Fro]

I like Funny People but didn't mention it because I consider it a Judd Apatow film and not one of the cheesy Happy Madison comedies that I was really talking about in my original post. But yeah, it's good.

[ReDPath]

Adam Sandler reminds me a lot of Eddie Murphy in a sense that he hasn't been good for a good long time.

For Murphy its been about 2 decades really since Another 48 Hours which Nolte helped carry. For Sandler its been about a decade. Even similar to a guy like Carrey whom I find terribly overrated and view largely as a guy who was good in the 90s but hasn't translated well since. I don't care about any of his non comedy work, it largely plays the same kinda like how dry Murray is when he's doing anything but comedy.

Quite frankly a lot of those guys get too much praise as good actors simply because they were comedians once upon a time.

The only one in recent memory to me that's proved himself largely is Robin Williams with Insomnia and One Hour Photo.

[Vice]

Robin Williams was fantastic in Good Will Hunting as well.

[Simmo Fortyone]

I like Sandler movies in general but I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to movies. I’ve seen a lot of them too, off the top of my head:

Billy Madison
Happy Gilmore
The Waterboy
Mr. Deeds
Big Daddy
Grown Ups
50 First Dates (1,000 times since my wife loves it)
Reign Over Me
Chuck and Larry
Don’t Mess with the Zohan
The Longest Yard
Click (most of it)

Strangely enough though, I have not seen The Wedding Singer. I have also purposely avoided some of the ones I thought wouldn’t work for me, like Jack and Jill, That’s My Boy, Little Nicky, etc. With that said, I have enjoyed the vast majority of the movies that I’ve seen. Mr. Deeds and Chuck and Larry were probably my least favourites and even Mr. Deeds was fine for me on initial viewing. It just fell down after seeing it a few more times.

It’s the same stuff in general, I agree, but I guess I’m ok with it. Reign Over Me was pretty different though, and a pretty darn good performance if I remember correctly. I don’t think it did well though.

That's a lot of times. Do you think she constantly wants to watch it again because she doesn't think she's seen it before?

[Felonious Punk]

I have a love/hate relationship with Adam Sandler movies. Back when they came out, I used to love the movies like Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, Waterboy, etc. Then I hit puberty and started developing a sense of taste. That's around the time of Little Nicky and Mr. Deeds which, oh god, don't get me started on those crapfests. Waterboy really started getting on my nerves to the point I couldn't stand to watch more than 5 minutes of it. Very cringe-worthy to me even to this day.

I refused to watch any of his movies for a while (including Anger Management, which I love now) until Click came out. A lot of people didn't have very many good things to say about it, but something about it "clicked" for me (lolz no pun intended). That spurred me to go back and finally watch AM and 50 First Dates, both solid movies.

Lately though for the most part, it seems like he's hitting a downturn again (Funny People excluded, but as someone else pointed out, that was more of a Judd Apatow flick). Chuck & Larry, Zohan, Jack & Jill, all did nothing for me. I'll give him a pass on Just Go With It, but that was mostly for Brooklyn Decker, who I went to high school with (and was actually lab partners with her for a time).

So yeah, overall it's a mixed bag for me. Not one of my favorite actors of all-time, but he's got a few gems out there.

[Fro]

Whoa, what was Brooklyn Decker like in high school? That's pretty cool. She was good in Just Go With It (although there wasn't much to her role).

[Felonious Punk]

Real nice girl, everyone knew her as Brooke until she got famous for her modelling (Sports Illustrated cover, anyone? ). She was popular, but not like stuck-up popular. She was into a lot of the extracurricular stuff like yearbook and volleyball I think, so all the teachers/coaches loved her and she had quite a few friends. She was real cute, but not absolutely stunning like she is these days. I was more of the 'outcast' type in high school but she always took time to say hi and converse with me despite being in different cliques. Very sweet girl, makes me genuinely happy to see her succeed.

Well, except Battleship. There was no excuse for that.

[Jacknife]

I was on Brooklyn Decker's Teeball team. She batted before me.

[Fro]

Grown Ups 2 currently has a 7% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The user rating? 90%.

Fascinating.

[Pipkin]

Grown Ups 2 currently has a 7% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The user rating? 90%.

Fascinating.

It's got to be just a case of people knowing what they like. The kind of people that will like GU2 go see it and like it, and the kind of people that won't like it avoid it and thus don't rate it.

[Dubya]

We should make a Sandler-movie countdown.. or other actor-specific ones in general. I think that could be interesting.. to see the favorite movies of everyone by a certain actor.

[Bill Casey]

50 First Dates is a cute little love story.

The ending of that movie is nightmare fuel...
What was that pregnancy like?

[Kneeneighbor]

I thought in Mr. Deeds and in Big Daddy he started to take the spotlight off of himself and was a set up guy for some others. I especially thought that in Mr. Deeds. I dont think he had a funny line in the whole movie.

[Myles]

I really disliked Adam Sandler growing up. I thought his movies were shit and even at 12 I could tell Billy Madison was overrated.

I fucking loved funny people though, and thought Sandler was excellent. He played himself and he didn't come across as over the top or trying to hard, that movie went on a touch too long, but I liked it. I also caught reign over me on tv a few months ago and was impressed. I guess I'm one of the few that prefer his more serious roles to absolute garbage like the waterboy. But then again I'm more of an intellectual that the general population as well as the average poster here. I have been told I have refined tastes.

funny people for the win boys

[mr sabu]

Billy Madison
Happy Gilmore
The Waterboy
Mr. Deeds
Big Daddy

really are the only sandlewr movies i like

[Jimmy Zero]

I thought the only good thing about Mr. Deeds was that Winona Ryder looked absolutely fantastic.

[Fro]

I feel like You Don't Mess With The Zohan is vastly underrated. People need to realize how funny that movie is.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

He has some good shows but also some absolute dog shit. I have no desire to see anything he has made really in the past 5 years at least because the concepts look tired and he's obviously coasting at this point.

Happy Gilmore is a fantastic film. Shooter McGavin runs away with it, however, rather than Adam Sandler.

[Mik]

I think he's pretty talented, its the roles he chooses that are the problem. When he picks a decent role he can be surprisingly good. However he must share agents with Eddie Murphy.

[Fro]

I watched Grown Ups 2. It's absurdly over the top bad but it embraces that and packs in so many quick slapstick bits without even attempting to make any real plotline. It makes Grown Ups 1 seem like a dramedy by comparison.

I liked it though.. it had some good lowbrow laughs and cameos. It's not a movie I'd ever sit down and watch (I watched it in 2 sittings while web browsing) but it was worth a view.

[Bert]

I still really like Bulletproof. And Grandma's Boy is amazing.

*robot voice* ADIOS TURD NUGGETS.

[Judas Iscariot]

Grandma's Boy is a classic.

[Eddie Brock]

Isn’t hating on Adam Sandler the equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel? Annoyance is part of his thing. Making bad films as well.

[Judas Iscariot]

Adam Sandler is a modern day James Joyce.

[Jimmy Zero]

Grandma's Boy really is great.

As for Sandler, I haven't enjoyed any of his movies since probably the Wedding Singer.

[darkhorse]

I loved Grandma's Boy. Strange Wilderness too, but mostly because of the part with the shark.

[Stocky]

Say what you will the mans a genius. He makes a movie for cheap, puts his friends in it, film where ever the fuck he wants and suckers go see them. He's losing his mind and reaping all the benefits...

Movies He wrote:

Grown ups 2: Production Budget: $80 million World wide box office: $246,984,278
That's my boy: Production Budget: $70 million World wide box office: $57,719,093
Jack and Jill: Production Budget: $79 million World wide box office: $149,673,788
Just go with it: Production Budget: $80 million World wide box office: $214,945,591
Grown ups: Production Budget: $80 million World wide box office: $271,430,189
You Don't Mess with the Zohan: Production Budget: $90 million World wide box office: $199,936,011
Little Nicky: Production Budget: $85 million World wide box office: $58,292,295
Big Daddy: Production Budget: $34.2 million World wide box office: $234,801,895
The Waterboy: Production Budget: $23 million World wide box office: $185,991,646
Happy Gilmore: Production Budget: $12 million World wide box office: $41,205,099
Billy Madison: Production Budget: $10 million World wide box office: $26,488,734

Some he produced with his friends in the main slot:
Buckey Larson: Production Budget: $10 million Only have domestic on this one but the movie sucked absolute balls and was given a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes $2,529,395
Paul Blart: Production Budget: $26 million World wide box office: $183,293,131
House Bunny: Production Budget: $25 million World wide box office: $70,442,940
Bench Warmers: Production Budget: $33 million World wide box office: $64,957,291
Grandmas Boy: Production Budget: Not available World wide box office: $6,566,277
Deuce Bigalow 2: Production Budget: $22 million World wide box office: $45,109,561

Plus some of these movies are cult classics that probably do huge numbers on DVD and television rights. So why stop doing what he's doing...

[connorboy]

I like Little Nicky and Happy Gilmore. Grown Ups it utter shit though

[MikeHunt]

Happy Gilmore great.

everything else absolute fucking bollocks

[Nash Diesel]

I don't think I've actually gone to an Adam Sandler movie at the theatres since Waterboy but I find most of his movies tolerable. My kids seem to enjoy the movies that have came out in the last 10-15 years, which is right around the time I stopped caring that much about them. Sandler and Jim Carrey, I think some people just grow out of their style of comedy because they don't do too many "adult" comedies, but shit just going by those numbers above I say why fix something that isn't broken? He's making a killing.

[Donald]

Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore are wonderful. Haven't enjoyed anything he's done since then, but I must say I haven't seen Punch Drunk Love or Spanglish

[Fro]

Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore are wonderful. Haven't enjoyed anything he's done since then, but I must say I haven't seen Punch Drunk Love or Spanglish

The Wedding Singer tho? That's his best movie in my opinion.

[Donald]

Only saw that once, and don't remember enjoying it. Perhaps years later I may enjoy it. But it's movies like the Waterboy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds that just soured everything for me. I will admit Click was an improvement but everything else is just blah.

[Jimmy Zero]

Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore are wonderful. Haven't enjoyed anything he's done since then, but I must say I haven't seen Punch Drunk Love or Spanglish

Punch Drunk Love is so fucking overrated.

[Beer-Belly]

It's my least favorite Paul Thomas Anderson film.

[Bill Casey]

Say what you will the mans a genius. He makes a movie for cheap, puts his friends in it, film where ever the fuck he wants and suckers go see them. He's losing his mind and reaping all the benefits...

Movies He wrote:

Grown ups 2: Production Budget: $80 million World wide box office: $246,984,278
That's my boy: Production Budget: $70 million World wide box office: $57,719,093
Jack and Jill: Production Budget: $79 million World wide box office: $149,673,788
Just go with it: Production Budget: $80 million World wide box office: $214,945,591
Grown ups: Production Budget: $80 million World wide box office: $271,430,189
You Don't Mess with the Zohan: Production Budget: $90 million World wide box office: $199,936,011
Little Nicky: Production Budget: $85 million World wide box office: $58,292,295
Big Daddy: Production Budget: $34.2 million World wide box office: $234,801,895
The Waterboy: Production Budget: $23 million World wide box office: $185,991,646
Happy Gilmore: Production Budget: $12 million World wide box office: $41,205,099
Billy Madison: Production Budget: $10 million World wide box office: $26,488,734

Some he produced with his friends in the main slot:
Buckey Larson: Production Budget: $10 million Only have domestic on this one but the movie sucked absolute balls and was given a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes $2,529,395
Paul Blart: Production Budget: $26 million World wide box office: $183,293,131
House Bunny: Production Budget: $25 million World wide box office: $70,442,940
Bench Warmers: Production Budget: $33 million World wide box office: $64,957,291
Grandmas Boy: Production Budget: Not available World wide box office: $6,566,277
Deuce Bigalow 2: Production Budget: $22 million World wide box office: $45,109,561

Plus some of these movies are cult classics that probably do huge numbers on DVD and television rights. So why stop doing what he's doing...

It's more complicated than that...
Production budget doesn't include distribution, advertising, taxes, duties, insurance, shipping, dubbing, interest on loans, etc...

A good rule of thumb is a movie has to make twice its production budget at the box office to break even...
By that general standard, "Jack and Jill" and "Benchwarmers" would be commercial failures and "Deuce Bigalow 2" would be a push...


Some others he's produced.

Deuce Bigalow: Production Budget: $17 Million World Wide Box Office: $92,938,755
The Animal: Production Budget: $47 Million World Wide Box Office: $84,772,742
Joe Dirt: Production Budget: $17.7 Million World Wide Box Office: $30,987,695
Mr. Deeds: Production Budget: $50 Million World Wide Box Office: $171,269,535
The Master of Disguise: Production Budget: $16 Million World Wide Box Office: $43,411,001
Eight Crazy Nights: Production Budget: Undisclosed World Wide Box Office: $23,833,131
The Hot Chick: Production Budget: Undisclosed World Wide Box Office: $54,639,553
Anger Management: Production Budget: $75 Million World Wide Box Office $195,745,823
The Longest Yard: Production Budget: $82 Million World Wide Box Office $190,320,568
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry: Production Budget: $85 Million World Wide Box Office $186,072,214
Strange Wilderness: Production Budget: Undisclosed World Wide Box Office: $6,964,734
Bedtime Stories: Production Budget: $80 million World Wide Box Office: $212,874,442
The Zookeeper: Production Budget: $80 Million World Wide Box Office: $169,852,759
Hotel Transylvania: Production Budget: $85 Million World Wide Box Office: $358,375,603
Here Comes The Boom: Production Budget: $42 Million World Wide Box Office: $73,100,172

[Fro]

looks like another winner

[mth]

I have to admit that at least looks visually interesting.

[Mark Hammer]

Ok I want to see Pixels.

[Zyphlin]

Here's some bootlegged footage from Pixels

[Mark Hammer]

What are the chances of Mario showing up in this? I mean they had to get licensing rights from Nintendo to include Donkey Kong, why not go for the gold?

[VHS]

As soon as I saw that fat fuck my smile disappeared.

[Judas Iscariot]

I am absolutely seeing Pixels.

I haven't seen, nor will I see, his magic shoe movie, but I'm absolutely going to see Pixels. It looks like the perfect July "melt my mind stupid awesome movie" thing to me.

Also Sandler is fantastic, can actually act, I love him, but he just figured out where his money comes from and I can't blame him.

The Waterboy was amazing.

And fucking Funny People was fantastic.

I love Adam Sandler.

I hate all of you.

[Beer-Belly]

Funny People was some overlong "woe is me for being rich and unfulfilled" bullshit. The last third turns into an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond for some reason.

[Pipkin]

I was at the store the other day and there was a package set of four Adam Sandler movies for $5 I don't remember which four exactly, but I remember that my friend and I both agreed that it was overpriced.

I like Sandler too, by the way, he's just made some terrible, terrible films.

[The Rogerer]

It's more complicated than that...
Production budget doesn't include distribution, advertising, taxes, duties, insurance, shipping, dubbing, interest on loans, etc...

A good rule of thumb is a movie has to make twice its production budget at the box office to break even...
By that general standard, "Jack and Jill" and "Benchwarmers" would be commercial failures and "Deuce Bigalow 2" would be a push...


Some others he's produced.

Deuce Bigalow: Production Budget: $17 Million World Wide Box Office: $92,938,755
The Animal: Production Budget: $47 Million World Wide Box Office: $84,772,742
Joe Dirt: Production Budget: $17.7 Million World Wide Box Office: $30,987,695
Mr. Deeds: Production Budget: $50 Million World Wide Box Office: $171,269,535
The Master of Disguise: Production Budget: $16 Million World Wide Box Office: $43,411,001
Eight Crazy Nights: Production Budget: Undisclosed World Wide Box Office: $23,833,131
The Hot Chick: Production Budget: Undisclosed World Wide Box Office: $54,639,553
Anger Management: Production Budget: $75 Million World Wide Box Office $195,745,823
The Longest Yard: Production Budget: $82 Million World Wide Box Office $190,320,568
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry: Production Budget: $85 Million World Wide Box Office $186,072,214
Strange Wilderness: Production Budget: Undisclosed World Wide Box Office: $6,964,734
Bedtime Stories: Production Budget: $80 million World Wide Box Office: $212,874,442
The Zookeeper: Production Budget: $80 Million World Wide Box Office: $169,852,759
Hotel Transylvania: Production Budget: $85 Million World Wide Box Office: $358,375,603
Here Comes The Boom: Production Budget: $42 Million World Wide Box Office: $73,100,172

I wonder how much their constant and completely integrated product placement is worth.

[MikeHunt]

looks like another winner

this actually looks pretty great. I can't believe that I'll be going to see and Adam sandler film featuring Kevin James this year. Yuck.

[Gary J]

From the moment I knew Peter Dinklage would be playing Billy Mitchell from King Of Kong I've been excited about this movie. It actually looks quiet good too.

[Nash Diesel]

I think Sandler is awesome but I can see why some people out there don't like him. Some fans just don't like to see a similar approach to every character played by a certain actor but I don't usually mind if it works. Sandler seems to do a better job at that than most which is probably why the majority of his movies do really well.

[Fro]

Sandler is receiving career-best reviews for his role in Noah Baumbach’s The Meyerowitz Stories, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday night. The Netflix comedy-drama, which also stars Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson, and Dustin Hoffman, is about an estranged family of New York intellectuals getting back together. According to the Hollywood Reporter, it “received an enthusiastic standing ovation… clocking in at four minutes.” Sandler, in particular, is being praised by nearly every critic who saw the film.

Reviewers said Sandler, who has churned out dozens of often critically-savaged box office hits, turned in his best performance since his Golden Globe-nominated part in 2002's "Punch-Drunk Love". Film industry website The Wrap ran the headline "Wow, Adam Sandler Might Actually Belong in Cannes" while Indiewire said "it remains hugely frustrating how great Adam Sandler can be when he's not making Adam Sandler movies".

Hoffman indisputably rules the roost as the irascible genius in his own mind, giving snap and innuendo to his readings that further up the ante provided by his egotistical pronouncements and cutting comments. Right behind, surprisingly enough, is Sandler, who has spent most of his career hiding the fact that he can hold his own and more with the likes of his co-stars here; it’s a legitimately fine and felt presentation of a modern sad sack.

Sand Man is back baby! I hope he gets an Oscar nod.

[Honey_Badger]

Blended is a fucking fantastic movie. Sandler on his A GAME!

[Fro]

I don't think I've seen Blended but I watched Pixels recently. It was very bad, as you would expect.

[BigAl]

Blended was good. Easily my wife's favorite Sandler flick. Terry Crews is hilarious even though he only has a bit part.

[Judas Iscariot]

The only Sandler movie my girl likes is 50 First Dates. She's watched it 10 times.

This response to his performance in this film is what drives you crazy because he can be great when he wants to but he chooses not to be.

[Fro]

I finally watched Murder Mystery, the People's Choice Award winner for Best Comedy of 2019. I was a fan of Sandler and Anniston's previous team-up, Just Go With It, as I'm sure I've mentioned in this thread before, and their onscreen chemistry is still elite. This movie goes in the "good Sandler" column. It's what you'd expect based on the title, a Clue-esque who dunnit. It's silly but not as silly as a typical Sandler movie, seemingly because it wasn't written or directed by anyone in his Happy Madison camp. It's actually written by the writer of Zodiac and The Amazing Spider Man (James Vanderbilt) and directed by Kyle of the Workaholics crew. It's less Sandlery and none of his usual co-actors appear.

Not much else to say.. It was enjoyable, dare I say even more enjoyable than Knives Out. Mind you I wasn't very high on Knives Out (I thought it was just okay) but they're up the same alley.

[Randolph]

I use a rule of Click and before, it is probably good. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, it is probably bad. There are exceptions, but Sandler lost me after Grown Ups 2. Worst movie I have ever seen, although I haven't seen Jack and Jill.

[G-Fresh]

Where the fuck has Judas been?

[Melly]

Personally I do not find him funny.

[G-Fresh]

We know, it's because you hate Jewish comedians named Adam.

[Rancid_Planet]

Where the fuck has Judas been?

I think my grammar was so bad it finally ran him off.

[WWXChairman]

In the case of things like this I will always hold the opinion that it comes down to the person themselves. If they want to take critics and everyone else at the word, then so be it, but I think you have to watch a movie for yourself to truly come to a conclusion about it. I certainly don't think writing all Sandler films off is the right move. I wasn't a huge fan of Anger Management, but Click, Mr. Deeds, and (most of) Chuck and Larry I thought were good.

[Donald]

In the case of things like this I will always hold the opinion that it comes down to the person themselves. If they want to take critics and everyone else at the word, then so be it, but I think you have to watch a movie for yourself to truly come to a conclusion about it. I certainly don't think writing all Sandler films off is the right move. I wasn't a huge fan of Anger Management, but Click, Mr. Deeds, and (most of) Chuck and Larry I thought were good.

I knew a lady who never paid to watch any movie, because "I don't know if the movie is good or not, why would I waste money on the chance that its good?". And then if a movie was free shed only watch it if the critics said it was good.

I'll go pay to see any movie and determine myself if I like it.

As far as Adam sandler, I find myself not enjoying a majority of his films, but there's no doubting his importance to comedy

[Fro]

Adam Sandler is one of the greatest comedic filmmakers of all time

[Rancid_Planet]

I don't care to see Sandler "act" and I don't care how that makes me sound.

Billy Madison over Punch Drunk Love all day.

[WWXChairman]

I knew a lady who never paid to watch any movie, because "I don't know if the movie is good or not, why would I waste money on the chance that its good?". And then if a movie was free shed only watch it if the critics said it was good.

I'll go pay to see any movie and determine myself if I like it.

I understand not wanting to pay for a film without hearing opinions from those who have seen it because you can always wait until they play it on television or any other free medium. If viewing is free, though, I would strongly urge giving it a watch, no matter what everything is worth trying at least once. I find myself reading criticisms and then watching the film with the intent to watch out for those criticisms, oftentimes I usually don't agree with them after I have viewed it myself.

As far as Adam sandler, I find myself not enjoying a majority of his films, but there's no doubting his importance to comedy

I know I am not the most critical person in the world, but I usually love the premise for most if not all of his films. That said, usually there are scenes in the film that I would have cut entirely. At least after the first watch I know when to fast forward, but I certainly would not say it is a majority.

[Honey_Badger]

I don't care to see Sandler "act" and I don't care how that makes me sound.

Billy Madison over Punch Drunk Love all day.

Uncut Gems was incredible. I'd highly recommend giving it a watch.

[Nash Diesel]

When you're as big of a star as Adam Sandler with as much influence as he's had in pop culture, it comes with positives and negatives. He definitely gives no fucks about the negatives. If you're basically printing money with everything you do, it's hard to deny the guy. He's putting in the work, he's brought his friends up, and he hasn't fucked up his life or his family's life at the expense of fame.

I'm looking at his filmography.....Pretty sure I've seen almost all of his movies minus 5 or 6, some of them are within the last 2-3 years. But the guy has been killing it for 30+ years. Even his early shit like Airheads, Coneheads, Shakes the Clown, Going Overboard, those were solid. Especially Airheads, love that movie.

[G-Fresh]

Airheads is fuckin amazing. I think that's the first movie I seen him in.

[Rancid_Planet]

"Pip? He gets his hands on more bumper than a body shop."

[WWXChairman]

i quite liked click and anger management so what the fuck do i know eh?

I was not a huge fan of Anger Management, but that's probably more so because the premise did not really appeal to me.
I thought overall Click was really good, so I wouldn't say it's just you.

[Jarrod1983]

I grew up on Sandler. My cousin had his first CD and I was at his house listening to things like The Buffoon and Toll Booth Willie. I was 12 and all in with vulgar humor. I saved my lunch money not eating lunch when I was younger and managed to purchase his first two CDs at the mall. The Goat was by far my favorite on that second CD.

I read the booklet inside the CD that lists the actors in the bits and that is pretty much when I discovered Saturday Night Live on Comedy Central that played old episodes with a lot of those people. Sandler really was responsible for introducing me to a ton of comedians because he drew me to these old reruns and I'd watch whether it was his cast or not.

I followed him into movies and have pretty much enjoyed everything. Even his stinkers you can watch and laugh at how bad they are. Sandler can also act and is highly underrated sometimes. Plus, he looks out for his friends. Sandler is like the Hulk Hogan of comedy and always finds a spot for his pals. Rob Schneider is like Sandler's Brutus Beefcake.

I really wish Chris Farley was around for all the Kevin James roles for the record. Nothing against Kevin, just sad to see Grown Ups without Farley.

[Badger]

Probably not everyone’s cup of tea around here but Billy Madison. Peeing your pants is cool and consider me Miles Davis.