Adam Sandler, who’s known more for his comedies, has had tremendous luck with his dramatic films. He’s earned himself rave critical reviews for his Netflix movie The Hustle and Uncut Gems led him to win an Independent Spirit Award. While his comedic films have been experiencing poor reception, the Happy Gilmore actor reveals how he feels about that.
When Adam Sandler makes his comedic movies through his production company Happy Madison, he’s not exactly gunning for any major awards. His mission is just to entertain audiences. While speaking with AARP, Sandler reacted to whether or not it stings that his comedy movies haven’t hit well with the critics.
Sometimes. Mostly because I invite all these amazing people I care about to make movies with me, and I wish they didn’t have to read s— about whatever we’ve made. But I don’t get too shook up. I always remember something my father said. He was a tough bastard. He went through ups and downs in his life, like not having work for a year or two and not telling us.
If you were to recall some of the worst movies that Adam Sandler has done, it would be comedies like That’s My Boy, Grownups 2, Jack and Jill, and The Do-Over. If you were to analyze the elements that would go into a bad Adam Sandler movie, it could be having the former SNL alum ever play a woman. Not to mention thinking that having his movies take place in beautiful locations would distract audiences from outlandish plots like pretending to die to start a new life. But thankfully, Sandler doesn’t let the critics get to him to the point where he stops reading the bad reviews. The 56-year-old believes in his work and enjoys the time he has with his friends who help him. That’s the stance of a true entertainer.
Being an entertainer is accepting that things will not always go your way. Adam Sandler was given a brutally honest piece of advice by his father about what to do when unfortunate things happen.
I recall one time that something didn’t go right for me. I bombed onstage or didn’t get an audition. I was upset and probably embarrassed. And he said, ‘Adam, you can’t always be happy. People aren’t always going to like you. You’re going to fail.’ I said, ‘But I just want to be happy, man. I don’t want all that other crap.’ He said, ‘You won’t actually know you’re happy if you don’t feel that other stuff.’
That’s very sound advice from a smart man. Like Dolly Parton says, “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” And even if the critics aren’t a fan of Sandler’s comedies, he’s still got the fans who are willing to watch them. Audiences still find the Billy Madison star funny and respect that he’s willing to give them stories and situations they would want to see. No one is expecting Sandler’s comedies to receive any Oscar nominations. All he cares about is making movies he enjoys with his friends and hoping to provide audiences with the escape and fun you normally feel when watching a movie.
Adam Sandler said in his AARP interview that he loved the push that dramatic films gave him, but he still loves comedy more than anything. He’s still starring and producing comedy movies with his next Netflix comedy being the film adaptation of You Are SO Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah! Murder Mystery 2 will also move forward to Netflix where he’ll reunite again with Jennifer Aniston. Comedy will always be the place Adam Sandler calls home whether the critics appreciate his work or not.
It’s pleasing to know that the 50 First Dates star doesn’t pay any mind to what the critics say. Fans will continue watching Adam Sandler no matter what genre he takes on next. If you want to experience this entertainer’s dramatic and comedy stylings, you can find a number of his projects on your Netflix subscription.