Somewhere between the glories of Saturday Night Live and the chaos of Uncut Gems, the world forgot Adam Sandler was actually an incredible actor. Adam Sandler was once among the funniest people on the planet. His days on SNL had him singing about “Lunch Lady Land” and appearing on Weekend Update as “Opera Man.” Sandler was in the class with legends like David Spade, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, and Chris Farley. After SNL, Sandler found box-office success with a slew of romantic comedies and wild concepts that became cult hits. But as his career entered the mid-2000s, many of Sandler’s films could be described as pure Razzie bait. Most did well enough at the box office, but many made Sandler a joke to everyone but his most loyal fans. However, there was a shift in 2018, worth exploring. A shift that took Sandler from Rotten Tomatoes pariah to Oscar contender. All it took was a song, a career-defining role, and a reminder that Sandler was always more than a punchline.
Sandler’s early career aligns with his SNL status. Roles were often endearing leading men, with an aptitude for hysterical rage and witty raunch. Films like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore set the mold for a 90s Sandler comedy. Wild premise: a hockey player turned golfer, or an adult returning to elementary school to keep his inheritance. The Waterboy, Big Daddy, and Little Nicky all follow suit to varying degrees of success. But each is quotable, and all feel like extensions of his SNL personas. None are plot-heavy, and all serve as vehicles for the next big laugh. Yet none lose the sweetness Sandler shows in The Wedding Singer or later with Paul Thomas Anderson.
Even before There Will Be Blood or the hype of One Battle After Another, working with Paul Thomas Anderson is a massive step. Sandler was coming off his romcom Mr. Deeds opposite Winona Ryder. PTA had just made Boogie Nights and Magnolia; each could have been any other director’s masterpiece. Punch-Drunk Love feels less like a comedian in a dramatic role and more like Paul Thomas Anderson recognizing Sandler’s strengths and crafting a story that fits him perfectly. Anderson keeps the sensitive, anxious side of each prior Sandler performance but elevates it across a weaving tale of loneliness, connection, and frequent flier miles. It became one of the defining highlights of Sandler’s career. Showcasing the power of his emotional range while still feeling at ease in the Sandler canon.
By 2004, Sandler would reunite with Drew Barrymore for 50 First Dates, blending Sandler’s vibrato with vulnerability to create one of his sweetest films to date. Yet this was the era that marked the beginning of Sandler’s critical dissonance. Click and Don’t Mess With the Zohan had all the trappings of a 90s Sandler film, but none of the staying power. Reuniting with SNL alums on Grown Ups began to feel less like a reunion and more like a grasp for relevance. And Jack & Jill and That’s My Boy lost all of Sandler’s charm and charisma in favor of quick gimmicks. Sandler’s brand had become purely low-brow humor without the heart to sustain a story. Throw in Pixels and The Ridiculous 6, and people started to question, “Was Sandler ever that funny?” His biggest success in the entire era was Hotel Transylvania, but in a role divorced from the man himself.
But then, Adam Sandler shows up on a Netflix special with a song called “Farley.” A poignant and poetic tribute to his late friend, Chris Farley. The song chronicled their friendship, the life of laughter, “the one man party,” and the pain of flying out to “Madison to bury our friend.” The song did more than pay homage to one of the great comedians of a generation, but reminded the world who Adam Sandler was as a performer. “Farley” juxtaposes Sandler’s humor with heart, while showcasing his ability as a songwriter. But “Farley” also recontextualizes Sandler’s entire career with the line “still wish you were here with me/And we were getting on a plane to go shoot Grown Ups 3.” It makes audiences ask, “Is Sandler’s greatest sin making movies with his friends?”
“Farley” on its own could have been a reminder of what Sandler once was. However, paired with the power of the Safdie Brothers, Sandler reignites his acting with Uncut Gems. No jokes, no gimmicks, it’s all stylish A24 drama opposite LaKeith Stanfield and Kevin Garnett. Sandler went from the most Razzie nominations in a single year with Jack & Jill to a true Oscar-worthy performance. Uncut Gems plays to Sandler’s charisma but unlocked his ability to play a sleazy, gambling hustler, eager to get super rich or die trying. Gems immortalized Sandler as a multifaceted actor capable of low-brow comedy and high crime drama. “Farley” reminded audiences of the heart behind the comedy. Uncut Gems reminded them of something else entirely; beneath the decades of goofy characters was an actor capable of carrying one of the most electric performances of the 21st century.
In movies, sometimes momentum is all you need; sometimes a career resurgence can be as vital as the initial spark to a career. “Farley” reminded everyone of Sandler’s greatness on SNL. And Uncut Gems displayed a range unexplored. Punch-Drunk Love shines even brighter post-A24 Sandler, and the Tarantino comment that Sandler was his original choice to play Donny Donowitz in Inglourious Basterds gives Sandler’s career even more mythos. In the 2020s, his social media has made Sandler a people’s champion as they watch videos of his pickup basketball prowess and sweatpants at red carpets. Uncut Gems adds fluidity to his career, allowing his legacy to read as someone who could make cult hits like Airheads, rough remakes like Mr. Deeds, family dramas like Reign Over Me, produce a Paul Blart sequel, and then make a legit Awards run with another A24 film. Sandler was once a career satirized, but now is a career worth studying. Whether it’s with the Safdie Brothers, reminiscing about the glory days, or “getting on a plane to go shoot Grown Ups 3.”
