- Misty Holland, Robert Pius, Chris Beachum, Tom O'Brien
- Film
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Like many popular comedic actors of the day, Adam Sandler got his start on “Saturday Night Live” first as a writer and then as a cast member. He was spotted by weekend update anchor Dennis Miller doing stand-up comedy and Miller recommended him for the show. Sandler was a big success on the show, particularly doing song parodies during the Weekend Update segments. Sandler left the show in 1995 after only five years on the program. Years later when Conan O’Brien was having his own problems with NBC, Sandler admitted to O’Brien that he was actually fired from “SNL” and didn’t leave voluntarily as had been assumed.
Sandler started off doing comedy films after that but has evolved into doing dramatic work at times. While he has a pretty strong track record as a box office draw, he has also often been the target of poor reviews from critics and has frequently been singled out by the Razzies.
He has earned raves, however, starting with his Golden Globe nominated turn in “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002). He won the Independent Spirit Award and earned a Critics Choice Awards bid for “Uncut Gems” (2019). He’s also been nominated at the Emmys five times, for four “SNL” (three writing, one guest acting) and once for writing his standup special “100% Fresh.”
Let’s take a photo gallery tour of his movies, ranked from worst to best. Our list includes “Happy Gilmore,” “Billy Madison,” “Punch-Drunk Love,” “Hustle,” “The Wedding Singer,” “The Waterboy” and more.
17. BEDTIME STORIES (2008)
Director: Adam Shankman. Writers: Matt Lopez, Tim Herlihy. Starring Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Russell Brand.
See AlsoAdam Sandler - Movies, Wife & AgeList of Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston MoviesAdam Sandler | Biography, TV Shows, Movies, & FactsSandler plays a hotel handyman who likes to make up stories for his niece and nephew. The stories start coming true in this fantasy film from Walt Disney.
16. YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (2008)
Director: Dennis Dugan. Writers: Adam Sandler, Robert Smigel. Starring John Turturro, Lanie Kazan, Charlotte Rae.
Sandler plays an Israeli soldier who fakes his own death in order to move to the US. He takes up work as a hair dresser but can’t seem to escape his military past.
15. MR. DEEDS (2002)
Director: Steven Brill. Writers: Tim Herlihy. Starring Winona Ryder, John Turturro, Peter Gallagher.
Sandler plays a quiet, unassuming small-town aspiring greeting card writer who suddenly finds himself in charge of a huge media corporation after a relative dies.
14. THE LONGEST YARD (2005)
Director: Peter Segal. Writer: Sheldon Turner. Starring Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, Nelly.
This film is the story of how a bunch of prison inmates challenge their prison guards to a football game. It is a remake of a highly successful film from the seventies starring Burt Reynolds who also appears in this version.
13. 50 FIRST DATES (2004)
Director: Peter Segal. Writer: George Wing. Starring Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider, Sean Astin.
Sandler finds the girl of his dreams but unfortunately, she has no short-term memory so everyone of their dates is a first date.
12. BIG DADDY (1999)
Director: Dennis Dugan. Writers: Steve Franks, Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler. Starring Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart, Allen Covert.
Sandler plays the ultimate slacker who finally grows up after he is forced to take care of an abandoned child. Despite having graduated from law school he works as toll booth collector but through the child he eventually figures out his life.
11. REIGN OVER ME (2007)
Director and writer: Mike Binder. Starring Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith, Liv Tyler.
Sandler took on a dramatic role as a man who lost his family in the terrorist attacks on 9/11. He has trouble maintaining his sanity and dealing with his grief but finds relief in a chance meeting with his old college roommate.
10. BILLY MADISON (1995)
Director: Tamra Davis. Writers: Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler. Starring Darren McGavin, Bradley Whitford, Norm MacDonald.
In this popular comedy Sandler has to go back to school and complete all twelve grades in order to prove to his father that he is capable of running his company.
9. ANGER MANAGEMENT (2003)
Director: Peter Segal. Writer: David Dorfman. Starring Jack Nicholson, Marisa Tomei, Lynne Thigpen.
Sandler teamed with Jack Nicholson for this comedy about two men whose temper gets them in trouble. The two decide to face the problem and learn to control their rage.
8. SPANGLISH (2004)
Director and writer: James L. Brooks. Starring Téa Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman.
James L. Brooks won three Oscars for “Terms of Endearment” and produced “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” but this movie is a long way from those days. He wrote and directed this story of a Mexican immigrant and her daughter who go to work for a wealthy family. Cloris Leachman reunited with Brooks here and earned a SAG nomination as Best Supporting Actress.
7. THE WATERBOY (1998)
Director: Frank Coraci. Writer: Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler. Starring Kathy Bates, Henry Winkler, Fairuza Balk.
Sandler shocked box office pundits when very early in his career this comedy opened in first place at the box office. Sandler plays a waterboy for a college football team who gets a chance to join the team.
6. HAPPY GILMORE (1996)
Director: Dennis Dugan. Writers: Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler. Starring Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, Carl Weathers.
Sandler plays an aspiring hockey player in this early comedy of his. It is probably best remembered for a scene where Bob Barker plays himself and gets into a fight with Sandler on a golf course.
5. THE WEDDING SINGER (1998)
Director: Frank Coraci. Writers: Tim Herlihy. Starring Drew Barrymore, Christine Taylor, Allen Covert.
Highly successful at the box office this film features Sandler as a singer who is in love with one woman but engaged to another.
4. THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (NEW AND SELECTED) (2017)
Director: Noah Baumbach. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Judd Hirsch.
Sandler joined a strong ensemble cast in this dark comedy from writer director Noah Baumbach.
3. HUSTLE (2022)
Director: Jeremiah Sagar. Writers: Taylor Materne, Will Fetters. Starring Adam Sandler, Queen Latifah, Juancho Hernangómez, Ben Foster, Kenny Smith, Anthony Edwards, Robert Duvall.
Sandler movingly stars in this underdog story of an aging NBA scout whose dream of someday becoming a pro coach is slowly ebbing but finds an unknown basketball player in Spain whom he sets out to prepare for the upcoming NBA draft.
2. PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (2002)
Director and writer: Paul Thomas Anderson. Starring Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Luis Guzman.
Sandler earned a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for this film from writer director Paul Thomas Anderson. Sandler plays a man tormented by work and family pressures.
1. UNCUT GEMS (2019)
Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie. Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie. Starring Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, Eric Bogosian.
Sandler won the Independent Spirit award for this darkly comedic drama about a gambling-addicted jewelry salesman who must keep his life from unraveling as he tries to sell a rare gem.
