Adam Sandleris a unique actor; his talents as a funny man are outstanding, and once a decade, he also proves he can do spectacular dramatic work with great directors like Paul Thomas Anderson or the Safdie Brothers. Sandler’s talent is a gift from the comedy gods, and one to be celebrated. Here are Adam Sandler’s funniest movies, ranked.
9Funny People (2009)
InFunny People, Sandler plays George Simmons, a famous comedy star who looks like he has everything he could want. When he’s diagnosed with an untreatable disease that will kill him in less than a year, George decides to go back to his roots and start performing stand-up at comedy clubs. There, he meets Ira (Seth Rogen) and hires him to be his personal assistant and friend. Although this film could also be cataloged as a serious performance, the stand-up part of the movie is so funny, that it deserves to be on this list. Director Judd Apatow had lived with Sandler when both were young and had no career, and you can feel here the adoration he feels for his pal, and how he knows Sandler can do more things than his public persona shows, giving a film that, although a bit too long, blends perfectly laughs and heart, creating an incredible role for his friend Sandler.
Related:Adam Sandler’s Best Dramatic Roles, Ranked
8The Week Of (2018)
The Week Oftells the story of Kenny Lustig (Sandler), the father of the bride who doesn’t have as much means as the rich, emotionally stand-offish parents of the man his daughter is going to marry. This film is a slice-of-life movie that James L. Brooks or Robert Altman might’ve done decades ago, but with more jokes, showing the vulnerability Sandler can play as a man doing everything he can and more, for the benefit of his family. Co-written and directed by Rober Smiegel ofTriumph the Insult Comic Dogfame,The Week Ofis funny and sweet, showing the evolution of Sandler over the years. He has gone from man-child Sandler to dad Sandler, making his movies more personal and reflective, while still having some gross jokes, as some things never change.
Related:Adam Sandler’s Best Netflix Movies
7Little Nicky (2000)
Nicky (Sandler), the mild-mannered, smallest son of the Devil (Harvey Keitel) must go to New York and find his older, scary brothers before they destroy the city and take their fathers' throne as new rulers of hell. BeforeLittle Nicky, Sandler was on a roll, and everything he did was an incredible box office success. With this film, he swung for the fences and missed spectacularly, as the movie failed with both critics and audiences. Watching the film now, it had some good ideas, but the film didn’t work as expected. Even then, it was a good effort by Sandler trying to do a different kind of comedy; one where the destiny of the world is decided at Madison Square Garden.
6Big Daddy (1999)
Sonny Koufax (Sandler) is a slob with a law degree who, when his girlfriend leaves him, has the idea of adopting a five-year-old to prove to her that he has matured. Living with the kid does much more to him than he expected.Big Daddyhas both the jokes and the heartwarming moments, as Sandler’s man-child can be strangely profound when he’s hanging out with an actual child. The kid brings out his sweetness and sensitivity, making for a complete movie, even though the courtroom ending is a bit too melodramatic. The movie came out in 1999, and since then,the kid and the rest of the cast have kept working steadily.
5Don’t Mess With the Zohan (2008)
Don’t Mess With the Zohanis an action-comedy about Zohan (Sandler), an Israeli counter-terrorist who becomes an NYC hairstylist. The premise might sound like aSaturday Night Livesketch, but Sandler commits to the bit, making amusing joke after amusing joke about hummus, showing some of his Jewish heritage, and having a blast doing so. The comedy is very specific in its jokes, using stereotyping to create a lived-in character and making it feel more real (or as real as a muscle-bound, hairstylist who can kill you in 34 different ways could be). This was the most high-concept film Sandler had done sinceLittle Nicky, and this time it worked.
4The Waterboy (1998)
The Waterboytells the story of Bobby Boucher, the waterboy for a college football team who, once he discovers his ability for tackling, becomes the team’s star. Sandler always has been known to use fits of rage for comedic effect, and this film is the logical ending to that kind of character, as Bobby Boucher is part innocent simpleton, part raging psychopath. The Waterboy is one of Sandler’s funniest movies, with jokes galore (many have become gifs), where he uses the sports formula to create a strange, southern character, who is a mama’s boy and wants to be good at something. This was one of Sandler’s biggest box office successes at the time, making him a movie star, andhe has admitted many times he would happily do a sequel.
3The Wedding Singer (1998)
Robbie (Sandler) sings ’80s hits at weddings, and Julia (Drew Barrymore) is a waitress at these events. Both are preparing for their wedding. When they meet, it’s obvious that they’re making a mistake marrying other people and should be together.The Wedding Singeris a cute, romantic film where Sandler proved he could be a charismatic, romantic leading man. His partnering with Barrymore makes him better, as he’s more present and they have believable chemistry, thanks to her abilities. That’s why they worked together again on50 First DatesandBlended.Barrymore’s character has her own agency and dramatic arc, creating a lovable person on her own.The Wedding Singeris a bit more grown-up movie for Sandler; there are dumb jokes, but they’re not the center of the film, they’re an add-on while showing what it means to grow up, even if it’s on your own terms, giving us oneof the best marriage proposals of all time.
2Billy Madison (1995)
Billy Madisonis the story of the character of the same name, played by Sandler, who to get his father’s hotel chain, must repeat grade school all over again (two weeks for each grade). This is Sandler’s man-child masterpiece, full of improvised bits, lough-out-loud moments, memorable appearances by Norm MacDonald, Chris Farley, and Steve Buscemi, and one that is perfect for re-watches while hanging with friends. DirectorTamra Davis told The Washington Post: “Many of the strangers but most frequently quoted scenes in “Billy Madison” were unplanned. I don’t remember the “shampoo is better” conversation Adam has with himself being in the script, but that was what happened when Adam was loose and having fun.”
1Happy Gilmore (1996)
Happy Gilmore(Sandler) is a hockey reject with the most powerful drive in golf, so he joins the P.G.A. to make some money and save his grandmother’s house. Unfortunately, the hockey player mentality and taunting don’t go so well with the upper-class mentality of golf. This film is one of Sandler’sbest non-Netflix moviesand the top-three in his entire career. Sandler is the only one who can make psychopaths into lovely goofy chums, being the angry clown, and making comedic rage a good trait to have. This slobs-vs-snobs film is full of quotable lines, but there’s a recognizable human trait, even in his arrested development, Happy Gilmore just wants to be loved and will do anything for the people he loves and cares for, consequences be damned.Bob Barker wanted to fight with Sandler in the movie, and that scene is the icing on the cake inHappy Gilmore, one of the most memorable in Sandler’s career.
