Is there anything more unbearably sad than massively underused talent? Well, probably… but for the purposes of this article, let’s pretend there isn’t. For that particular question,Adam Sandleris a prime case study, a man whose filmography extends back over three decades, but whose critically acclaimed films come once in a blue moon.
Dubbed the king of the blockbuster comedy during the 1990s, the New Yorker’s fame and popularity grew rapidly by starring in man-child movies and rom-coms, yet asRoger Ebert pointed out, he’s predominantly an actor “we’ve seen in a series of dim comedies.” On the face of it, that may appear as a harsh indictment of the career of a dedicated actor, but it’s a quote that accurately encapsulates large segments of his career. A quote made all the more cutting by the fact that it was in a near-perfect review for a Sandler film (Punch-Drunk Love), indicating just how much of his talents have been wasted.
Why Are So Many Adam Sandler Movies Disliked by Critics?
FromThe WaterboyandMr. DeedstoZookeeperandThe Do-Over, it’s feasibly harder not to have seen an Adam Sandler film. They are a Saturday night go-to, a tame family favorite that everyone is happy to nod off to. They are the purpose servers, and the formula followers, but unfortunately, that’s about as far as the praise goes.
From critics threatening physician-assisted suicide with Dignitas after thehorror show that wasJack and Jill, to the shattering of their feeble hopes that there is a God after watching the monstrosity that was INow Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Sandler’s seemingly endless recycling and remodeling of the buddy comedy flick has merely alienated the average cinephile. Everyone is partial to the odd fart-gag and the occasional piece of slapstick violence and no one is expecting highbrow comedy when tuning into one of his movies, but both the drama and comedy ask too much of their audience, it demands we reach deep into our inner-psyche and reactivate the part of our brain that can tirelessly humor tasteless, infantile-quips without fatigue or need to turn the film off after 10 minutes.
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Narratively weak, comically underwhelming, and embarrassingly garish, bar a few exceptions, this seems to be the critical reception for most of his films. It is evident that Sandler has fallen victim to being typecast as the genial, fun-loving, wise-cracking father, husband, or friend, which has certainly proved to be a downfall. Yet, after seeing theYou Don’t Mess with the Zohanactor produce some emphatic showings inPunch Drunk Love(which may always be his best performance),Uncut Gems,The Meyerowitz Stories,Hustlers, and evenFunny People, it’s visible for all to see — he’s an exceptional actor, but a wasted talent.
Money Makes the World (and Adam Sandler) Go Round
Whatever your occupation, aside from contributory factors like geographical location, family demands, company culture, and career advancement, the overriding motivation is nearly always that paycheck. We are eating from the palm of capitalism’s hand, and the more it offers us, the greedier we become. Money is one of the roots of our problems, while simultaneously being the solution to them. So, it is a tad hypocritical for anyone with a particular fondness for a dollar or two to chastise those whose infatuation with the pretty greenery seems to dictate their entire existence.
That being said, what is an extra million to a billionaire? While Adam Sandler’s financial affairs are between him, his bank manager, and his accountant, there was little discretion around thefour-movie extension Netflix dealthat was purportedly banking Sandler $250 million. The issue he has had with such a vast sum is that he seems to have thrown all (or at least, what was left of it) artistic integrity out the window. Take a look at the Rotten Tomatoes scores for some of his recent movies (with comparably abysmal scores on both iMDB and Metacritic:
While actors that share similar global notoriety to Sandler can command such $250 million fees, it is usually done with a certain degree of discernment during the selection process and a promising bet on the films' success. It seems his ability to separate the good scripts from the disastrous is either cursed, or he’s simply prepared to overlook their lack of taste and credibility for the staggering quantities of cash on offer. At the same time, Sandler was surprisingly upfront about this, confirming what many critics have assumed after Jimmy Kimmel asked him if Sandler’s films were essentiallyjust paid vacationsfor him and his friends.
“Yes," said Sandler. “I have done that since50 First Dates. It was written in another place. I said, ‘Imagine if we did it in Hawaii, how great that movie would be?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, that’s a very artistic idea.’ I’ve been doing that ever since.” Maybe that’s why people think these movies suck — they’re only a fun vacation for him and his friends, but a chore for everyone else.
Adam Sandler: The Uncut Gem
Most skilled actors will feature in a critical misfire at some point in their careers, and sometimes even a handful, so being in bad movies doesn’t necessarily equate to someone being a bad actor. Sandler is an interesting case, because the vast majority of his films are despised by critics and considered to be banal catastrophes, and yet he has a handful of magnificent performances which unequivocally show that Adam Sandler can be a great actor.
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Whether it’s Paul Thomas Anderson’sPunch-Drunk Love, Noah Baumbach’sThe Meyerowitz Stories, the Safdie Brothers’Uncut Gems, or last year’sHustle, or even mediocre films with strong Sandler’s performances, like James L. Brooks’Spanglishand Judd Apatow’sFunny People, Sandler has frequently reminded people of his immense dexterity, and that he’s not just a one-trick-pony.
Perhaps the common denominator in the films mentioned above is that of quality directors, filmmakers who are often admired and commended by critics. Direction is undeniably pivotal to how an actor translates on-screen, and being directed by someone with distinct identities and distinguished tastes has demonstrably borne fruit for Sandler. In each role, he’s adapted perfectly to the demands of the character, all of which have required very different acting components.
Adam Sandler Should Be Famous for His Great Movies
His outing inUncut Gemswas lauded by critics, and even heralded by the infamouslyhard-to-please Peter Bradshaw, who branded Sandler’s delivery a “glorious career best.” As jeweler Howard Ratner, Sandler is a chaotic, anxiety-inducing gambling addict who doesn’t stop to catch a breath. InPunch Drunk Love, arguably the first demonstration of his real acting talents, he is the deeply affecting, melancholic, and intriguing Barry Egan; we see once hidden depths surface as he switches effortlessly between a tense, pensive man holding it together through a forced smile, and then sporadic eruptions of unadulterated anger and frustration.
In bothThe Meyerowitz StoriesandHustle, his displays are more low-key and subtle, yet this subtlety adds a layer of charm you don’t get in some of the tasteless movies he’s produced in years gone by. All of this proves that Sandler has massive talent, but that it has been wasted 90% of the time. He’s become famous for his lazily produced, repetitive comedies, but he should be famous for his masterful acting skills. The question is: with three of his last six movies universally celebrated both commercially and critically, has the discerning penny finally dropped? Let’s hope so.
