10 Most Underrated Adam Sandler Movies That Show Off His Range

Adam Sandler is and probably always will be a beloved figure in Hollywood. With Happy Gilmore 2 breaking records for Netflix, it shows that audiences aren’t tired of his form of comedy. Although he has had many hits, many of his films did not do well with audiences. From straightforward comedies to dark romance dramas, a variety of his films have failed to find success. Even films that are good in quality have not received the proper recognition, especially all the ones that sway away from their normal comedic territory.

Some of his films are deserving of failure, like Jack and Jill and The Ridiculous 6, but there are many films of his that deserve much more love than they have received. Ranging from animated musicals to coming-of-age films, these movies deserve to be in the conversation for Sandler’s best work.

Here are the 10 most underrated Adam Sandler movies.

10

‘You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’ (2023)

Having the entire Sandler family portray themselves in a feature film could’ve easily been a disaster, but You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah is a surprisingly charming coming-of-age film that maintains a great sense of humor and covers a culture that is hardly recognized in mainstream media. Adam Sandler plays the fatherly role brilliantly, stemming from his own personal experiences, but it’s Sunny Sandler who shines as the troubled middle-schooler struggling with her journey to adolescence. The film may play out in a predictable manner, but the experience is extremely heartfelt and relatable.

Adam Sandler Is Putting Out the Best Work of His Career with Netflix

Even though most of Adam Sandler’s iconic work came from the ’90s and early 2000s, his recent collaborations with Netflix have brought some of his strongest projects. From films he’s produced to ones he solely just acted in, Netflix has figured out the best ways Sandler can thrive in the current industry. Earning a SAG nomination for his work on the 2022 basketball drama Hustle, Sandler has found his stride through his time at Netflix.

9

‘Funny People’ (2009)

Funny People is another Adam Sandler dramedy that falls way under the radar. Although the film centers on a man with a terminal illness, the film finds the perfect ways to be funny. Sandler is, of course, great as the comedian fallen from grace, but Seth Rogen is perfect as Sandler’s prodigy. The film acts almost as Sandler passing his comedic legacy down to the new generation, and Seth Rogen is the perfect candidate for that role. The film may run for far too long, but it has enough funny gags and a strong story to keep it among Sandler’s most underrated works.

Working With Other Comedians Brings Out the Best in Sandler

Adam Sandler alone has the charisma to drive a film, but he is arguably stronger when he shares the screen with other comedians. His Grown Ups movies, while lacking a strong story, work extremely well because of how the actors play off each other. This is the case with Funny People, with him, Seth Rogan, and Leslie Mann having incredible chemistry with one another. Whether it’s another Grown Ups movie or an original idea, Adam Sandler should continue to work with other comedians as it brings out the best of his acting ability.

8

‘Murder Mystery’ (2019)

With Just Go With It having a strong cult following despite its low critical reception, people were clamoring to see Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler collaborate again. Murder Mystery not only fulfilled those wishes, but it is actually a strong movie overall. Aniston and Sandler have incredible chemistry with one another, carrying what could have been a generic mystery comedy into something much more entertaining. Even though its sequel failed to live up to the hype, Murder Mystery is a great time that stands as one of Sandler’s best comedies in recent years.

Netflix Should Make More Romance Movies with Sandler

As Sandler is getting older, he probably won’t be doing as much of the insane comedy routine he used to do. Because of this, now would be the perfect time to get him into another romance film. Movies like 50 First Dates and The Wedding Singer stand as some of Sandler’s most iconic roles, especially toward the female demographic. Because Sandler has been doing better work now than he has in the past decade, making a romance film would be the perfect way to capitalize on his recent success.

7

‘Click’ (2006)

Click

Release Date

June 23, 2006

Runtime

107 minutes

Director

Frank Coraci

Adam Sandler’s take on A Christmas Carol is exactly as funny and heartfelt as one would expect. Centering on a man with the power to control time, Click comes up with many creative gags that stand among the best comedic moments in Sandler’s filmography. Arguably the strongest part of the film is the ending, hitting on what is possibly the most emotional and darker closer to any of his films. With a strong cast and tons of standout comedy moments, Click is a fun time that is nowhere close to deserving its low critical ratings.

Critics Have Come Around on Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler used to be a major target for critics. Almost all of his films from the 2000s and 2010s have a rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes, including well-regarded movies like Grown Ups, Hotel Transylvania, and Spanglish. However, some of his recent films, like Hustle and You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, have scored his best reviews ever. Whether critics’ perception of Sandler has changed throughout the years or they just simply like his recent output better, it is nice to see them on board with Sandler again.

6

‘Spaceman’ (2024)

Spaceman

Release Date

March 1, 2024

Runtime

107 Minutes

Director

Johan Renck

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Spaceman not only stands out in Sandler’s filmography by being one of his only sci-fi outings, but it is arguably one of his strongest dramatic films. Much of the film takes place in outer space, but the film is an extremely intimate drama about an astronaut reckoning with his relationship. Sandler conveys the sadness of his character beautifully, allowing the audience to easily empathize with his character while adding his own voice to the role. The spectacle may not compare to other recent sci-fi epics like Ad Astra, but Spaceman thrives in the small moments.

Netflix Needs To Release Their Movies in Theaters

Spaceman is a great movie to watch at home, but the experience would have been much better if it played at the movie theater. Especially with movies in the science fiction genre, Netflix should release their movies in the theaters to gain a stronger audience and allow the viewer to fully immerse themselves in them. While a strong home theater can come close to replicating what a movie theater can achieve, it still won’t come close to the impact of seeing a movie in the theater. Upcoming big-budget films like Frankenstein and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery would have thrived in the theaters, but sadly, Netflix has no intention of growing from their straight-to-streaming strategy.

5

‘Punch-Drunk Love’ (2002)

Punch-Drunk Love goes into a far more dramatic territory than Sandler was used to at the time, but the way it stretches his acting chops makes it one of his best roles yet. Sandler is great at playing a crazy person, with roles like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison being some of his standout work, and Punch-Drunk Love allows him to portray that kind of person while also being a character with tons of depth. Despite his flaws, it’s extremely easy to get wrapped up in his relationship with Emily Watson, with the two having strangely cute chemistry with one another. The average moviegoer may find the film strange, but Sandler’s committed performance and the well-rounded screenplay make it one of his best films.

Sandler Needs To Continue His Dramatic Work

With Punch-Drunk Love and Uncut Gems, Sandler has proved that he is an amazing dramatic actor. Although his comedy schtick is great, it would be awesome to see him tackle more daring roles in the future. With an upcoming role in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, it looks like our wishes for him doing more dramatic work are coming true.

4

‘Hubie Halloween’ (2020)

Hubie Halloween

Release Date

October 7, 2020

Runtime

102 minutes

Director

Steven Brill

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Sandler’s first movie after his career-best work on Uncut Gems had a lot of people excited. While Hubie Halloween is far from Sandler’s best performance, it fits perfectly into his filmography of goofy comedy roles. The film acts as an ode to his past projects, bringing in actors from all his past movies as well as characters returning from previous Happy Madison productions. The film is extremely silly, with its werewolf-centered plot bringing the most ridiculous moments in any Adam Sandler film in history. From an overpowered thermos to an unhinged mother, Hubie Halloween is a silly yet always entertaining Sandler vehicle.

Sandler’s Family Appearing in His Movies Is Really Sweet

Some may find the inclusion of Sandler’s daughters and wife in his movies to be grating, but their inclusion makes his films way more charming. Filmmaking can be one of the longest and most grating processes a person has to go through, which sometimes leads to less time with loved ones. Sandler combats this idea by putting his family in all of his movies. Not only does this act as a fun Easter egg, but shows the kind of person Sandler is. With all the money he’s made off making movies, he still wants his family by his side at all times, which is an endearing trait that makes him as beloved as he is.

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3

‘Leo’ (2023)

Leo

Release Date

November 17, 2023

Runtime

102 minutes

Director

Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim

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Leo isn’t Sandler’s first dip into animated territory, but it stands as one of his best. Part musical and part coming-of-age movie, the film successfully juggles a variety of tones while telling a story that is relatable to anyone. Delving into themes of old age and anxiety makes for a surprisingly mature Adam Sandler film that stands tall among his pervious films. The songs may not push the narrative to new heights, but the film’s ability to be this fun that also tackles serious themes makes for one of Sandler’s most underappreciated movies.

Adam Sandler Is Making Movies for the Next Generation

With films like Leo and You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, Sandler is making movies that he wants the younger generation to latch on to, in particular his kids. From films tackling the Jewish experience to ones that delve into youth anxiety, Sandler wants to make movies that he wished he had when he was younger. Doing so not only expresses where he is at during this stage in his life, but expresses how he is growing as a filmmaker. He may still be releasing screwball comedies like Happy Gilmore 2, but recently, he has expressed that he has far more range than solely comedy.

2

‘Reign Over Me’ (2007)

Tackling a dramedy that centers around the attack on 9/11 is a hard thing to get right, but Reign Over Me works well due to the delightful chemistry between Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle. Sandler perhaps plays one of his darkest roles yet, as a man tormented by the death of his family and struggling to move forward, while Cheadle plays the perfect opposite as a man trying to help his college roommate. While the film isn’t even close to being Sandler’s biggest hit financially, it stands out among his filmography by delving into what is one of his heaviest films to date.

Sandler Should Collaborate With Other Filmmakers More

Although it is always nice to see Sandler take such control over his films, it would be nice to see him branch out more with other filmmakers and their vision. One of Sandler’s strongest movies is The Meyerowitz Stories, which was written and directed by Noah Baumbach. Seeing Sandler act in other people’s films allows the audience to see a different side of Sandler than what we are used to. Even though it’s hard not to be compelled by a Sandler performance, it would be better if Sandler would stretch his talents to other filmmakers.

1

‘Spanglish’ (2004)

Spanglish is another example of Sandler departing from the producer’s chair. Focusing on a family emigrating from Mexico to Los Angeles, the film is an excellent example of language barriers and the importance of inclusion. Sandler is surprisingly believable as a chef struggling to keep his marriage from falling apart, having excellent chemistry with the entire ensemble. While the film feels lengthy at times, the touching message of family and language makes for a compelling experience from start to finish.

Will Sandler Ever Win an Oscar?

With films like Spanglish and Uncut Gems, Sandler has proven that he has more than enough talent to earn an Oscar nomination. If he does want to earn an Oscar nomination, he needs to lean away from the screwball comedy and take on a more dramatic role. Working with an auteur like Alexander Payne may also benefit his chances, as a strong director can help push an actor’s chance of an Oscar nomination or win even more. Receiving early Oscar buzz for his upcoming role in Jay Kelly, we may see Sandler on that Oscar stage even sooner than we think.