- 4 months ago
From slapstick comedies to mind-blowing dramatic performances, the Sandman has done it all! Join us as we count down our picks for the best Adam Sandler movies that had us laughing out loud, tearing up... and sometimes doing both at the same time. Which of these comedic gems or dramatic masterpieces is your favorite?
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00:00But she's an old lady. I mean, look at her. She's old. You can't just take her stuff. She's too old.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:09And today, we're counting down our picks for the Adam Sandler movies that had us laughing out loud,
00:14tearing up, and sometimes doing both at the same time.
00:17Anything starring the Sandman is fair game for inclusion on our list.
00:21I have a love in my life. It makes me stronger than anything you can imagine.
00:2710. Just Go With It
00:31While much of Adam Sandler's mid-career output was critically panned and, in some cases, borderline
00:52unwatchable, Just Go With It stands out as a rare exception. Pairing Sandler with long-time
00:57friend Jennifer Aniston proved to be a stroke of casting genius, as the duo's effortless
01:01chemistry anchors what could have otherwise been a throwaway rom-com.
01:05What are we going to do about my love life, though?
01:07Oh, Danny, I would feel terrible for you if I had any, even the slightest, investment in
01:12you successfully banging 23-year-olds.
01:14The setup is ludicrous. A plastic surgeon roping his assistant into posing as his soon-to-be-divorced
01:20wife to win over a younger woman, but the film leans into the absurdity with Sandler's
01:25trademark charm, rather than desperation. Add a predictably scene-stealing turn from Nicole
01:30Kidman and some lush Hawaiian backdrops, and Just Go With It emerges as arguably the most
01:35entertaining in Sandler's, often maligned, 2010s output.
01:38What about me? What would you do to fix me?
01:42Professionally speaking? Nothing. I wouldn't do a thing to you.
01:45Nothing? Nothing.
01:47You're too sweet.
01:48I mean, they already took too much fat out of your arms, but that's what sleeves are for.
01:53So, where did you two meet?
01:55Number nine. Click.
01:57You're looking for a universal remote control?
01:59Yeah. Just one device to do it all for me. Make my life a little easier, quicker, not so
02:05damn complicated.
02:06I'm not supposed to do this, but you seem like a good guy.
02:10Hey, somebody noticed, thank you.
02:12I'm going to show you a remote we just got in that's probably the most advanced piece of
02:16technology we have in this place.
02:18This unexpectedly moving fantasy is one of the few Adam Sandler comedies that actually tries
02:23and largely succeeds at being more than just a delivery system for crude jokes and celebrity
02:29cameos. At its core, the film is a cautionary tale about a man who fast-forwards through life
02:34with the help of a magical remote control, only to realize too late what he's lost.
02:39And who the hell's Dr. Bergman?
02:42And I feel like Michael's making no effort to connect with me at all.
02:45No, no, no. I want to. I want to. I'm on autopilot.
02:48I'm on autopilot. You're more like auto-zombie.
02:52Good one, Donna.
02:54Good one, Donna?
02:56Michael, relax.
02:57Who is this big mouth? Why can't you and I just talk?
03:00While it hits plenty of broad comedic beats early on, Click gradually shifts into surprisingly
03:05heavy emotional territory, and Sandler meets the moment with one of his more restrained
03:09performances. The result isn't perfect. The tonal swings are jarring at times, but it's
03:14an ambitious swing that pays off and won't leave you channel surfing.
03:18I fast-forwarded through sex one time. I don't want to skip it forever. I like sex. It feels good.
03:23Correct me if I'm wrong, but you fast-forwarded through an entire year. That's a lot of sex.
03:30Put it all together. That's like 30 minutes worth for you.
03:33Number 8. 50 First Dates
03:36Ballers are known for their...
03:39Tasks?
03:40Their tasks. Also, their male parts can get pretty gigantic.
03:46Oh. Yeah, yeah, it's the second biggest out of all the mammals.
03:52What's the first?
03:53I think Tattoo Face.
03:55Not everything about 50 First Dates has aged gracefully. Rob Schneider's supporting role
04:00is a cultural relic best left in the early 2000s, and its central premise treads a fine
04:06line between sweet and ethically questionable. But what continues to shine is the undeniable
04:12chemistry between Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.
04:14Oh, my God. What are you doing here?
04:18It's the same thing you are. Looking for my ball.
04:22This is weird. I've been thinking about you all morning, all day. I can't wait to have
04:27breakfast with you again tomorrow.
04:29I know. But I just want to eat you up.
04:32Reuniting after The Wedding Singer, the two elevate the material with a genuine warmth and
04:36emotional sincerity. Sandler tones down his usual man-child routine, while Barrymore brings
04:42empathy and charm to a character who could have easily been played for cheap sentiment
04:46or easy laughs. Their connection is the heart of the film, and it's strong enough to keep
04:5250 First Dates eminently watchable, even when the rest of it feels stuck in the past.
04:57What are you doing? Nothing. I was just getting some lint off for you.
05:01You were going for a feelski.
05:03All right. I'm sorry. But this is like the 23rd time we've made out already. They're getting blue.
05:09I know. I know. I mean, I really don't know.
05:16Number 7. Big Daddy
05:17So, Mr. Asswiper, what's this guy's name?
05:21Scoob Steve.
05:22I like his flippers. Does he ever take them off?
05:25At first glance, Big Daddy might seem like a standard-issue Sandler, loaded with immature
05:30jokes and characters who behave like overgrown adolescents, but beneath the gross-out gags
05:36lies one of the earliest glimpses of the actor's softer, more sentimental side. As Sonny Koufax,
05:42an underachieving slacker who takes in a young boy to impress his ex,
05:46Sandler brings unexpected heart to a role that avoids being pure caricature.
05:50Hey.
05:51Hi.
05:53Go back to sleep, all right?
05:57Well, I'm going back to sleep. I need that.
05:59His bond with young Julian, played alternately by Cole and Dylan Sprouse in their feature debut,
06:05forms the emotional backbone of the film, revealing a capacity for tenderness that would come to
06:10define some of his later, more dramatic work. Big Daddy may not be subtle, but it's proof that
06:16even in his juvenile phase, Sandler had depth.
06:19How you doing?
06:20How you doing?
06:21You like hockey?
06:23Like hockey?
06:24This is a big, important game.
06:26It's a big, important game.
06:28Cut the crap.
06:29Cut the crap.
06:30I'm being serious. Don't do that.
06:34I'm being serious. Don't do that.
06:36How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
06:39Number six, the water boy.
06:41Mama, something bad happened today.
06:44Somebody hurt you, my boy.
06:46Who hurt you? You tell Mama who hurt you.
06:48No way, Mama. It's just that I lost my position as the team's water distribution engineer.
06:54Why, that's the best news I heard in a dog's age.
06:58Now you'll be able to spend your days at home where you belong.
07:01By no means subtle or particularly nuanced, the water boy nonetheless became a bona fide
07:07cult classic, owing to its absurd energy, colorful supporting cast, and a full-throttle Sandler
07:12performance.
07:13Loosely inspired by his canteen boy character from Saturday Night Live, Sandler's Bobby Boucher
07:18is a socially-stunted, over-protected mama's boy who channels his bottled-up rage into gridiron
07:24greatness.
07:25What the matter with you, boy? You too stu-stupid to do what your coach tells you?
07:33No!
07:34No what?
07:37I didn't mean to hurt you. Coach told me to pretend.
07:44There's an infectious cartoonish charm to the whole affair that struck a chord with audiences,
07:50as Kathy Bates, Henry Winkler, and a parade of eccentric characters turn what could have
07:55been thrown away material into something oddly memorable. The water boy is quintessential
08:00Sandler. Weird, loud, and against all odds, totally endearing.
08:03That happened to be my first time with the lips and the tongue. That was your tongue. I believe
08:17it was the...I never did that before. If that was your first kiss, then I bet it's the first
08:23time you've seen a pair of these.
08:25Number 5. The Wedding Singer
08:27Well, if you need some more time, I guess I can wait.
08:34No, I don't need more time, Robbie. I don't have one about you.
08:43Jeez, you know, that information might have been a little more useful to me yesterday.
08:48Coming off a string of, well, Sandler-esque comedies, The Wedding Singer marked a surprising
08:53and welcome pivot for Adam Sandler. Set in the neon-soaked excess of the 1980s, the film
08:58trades in slapstick for sincerity, showcasing a romantic and sentimental side of Sandler that
09:04audiences hadn't seen before.
09:06Sidney and Scott are newlyweds.
09:09Whoopity-do!
09:10He loves her, but she loves this guy right here. And he loves somebody else. You just
09:23can't win.
09:24As the lovelorn Robbie Hart, Sandler dials down the antics and turns up the charm, creating
09:30a genuinely heartfelt character whose chemistry with Drew Barrymore is effortlessly sweet and
09:35believable. Their dynamic became the gold standard for Sandler's rom-com pairings — warm, funny,
09:41and emotionally grounded. With its killer soundtrack and soft-focused nostalgia, The Wedding Singer
09:45stands out as one of the most emotionally resonant entries in Sandler's filmography.
09:50Who of you out there would like to dance with this fine-looking woman?
09:54You'd like to do more than dance with her.
09:59Number 4. Billy Madison
10:02The film that started it all, Billy Madison wasn't simply Adam Sandler's first leading
10:26role. It was his declaration of comedic intent. Released ahead of his unceremonious SNL firing,
10:33the movie gave Sandler the platform to unleash his brand of absurdist, cartoonish humor without restraint.
10:39Shampoo is better. I go on first and clean the hair. Conditioner is better. I leave the hair silky and smooth. Oh, really, fool? Really?
10:51Stop looking at me, swan!
10:57Playing a rich man-child forced to repeat grades 1 through 12 to earn his inheritance,
11:03Sandler doubled down on the weird voices, surreal gags, and over-the-top shenanigans that would become his trademark.
11:10Critics weren't kind, but audiences latched on immediately, turning the film into a cult hit,
11:15and catapulting Sandler into overnight stardom. Love it or hate it, Billy Madison laid the blueprint for everything that came after.
11:22Hey, Billy, who would you rather bone? Meg Ryan or Jack Nicholson?
11:28Jack Nicholson now or 1974?
11:3274.
11:35Meg Ryan.
11:36Number three, Happy Gilmore.
11:39You're not going for good, are you, honey?
11:41You're going nowhere, Happy, and you're taking me with you.
11:44All you ever talk about is being a pro hockey player, but there's a problem. You're not any good.
11:49I am good. You know what? You're a lousy kindergarten teacher. I've seen those finger
11:54paintings you bring home and they suck!
11:57If Billy Madison introduced the world to Adam Sandler's manic energy,
12:00Happy Gilmore refined it into something sharper, funnier, and undeniably iconic.
12:06As the hockey reject turned golf prodigy with a killer slap shot, Sandler delivers one of his
12:10most quotable performances, equal parts rage, hearts, and barely contained chaos.
12:16Back in 1965, Sports Illustrated said I was going to be the next Arnold Palmer.
12:22Yeah? What happened?
12:23They wouldn't let me play on the Pro Tour anymore.
12:26Aw, I'm sorry. Because you're black?
12:28Hell no. Damn alligator bit my hand off.
12:32Oh my god!
12:33The film thrives on its ridiculous premise, cartoonish violence, and a stacked lineup of
12:38memorable side characters, including Christopher McDonald's unforgettably smarmy Shooter McGavin.
12:44Just stay out of my way, or you'll pay. Listen to what I say.
12:49How about I just go eat some hay? I could make things out of clay and lay by the bay,
12:53I just may. What do you say?
12:55Even moviegoers who weren't fans of golf found something to love in the sports comedy fever
13:01dream. Nearly three decades later, Happy Gilmore 2 proved to be more than nostalgia bait. It reminded
13:07us why this angry golfer became a comedy legend in the first place.
13:11I get it. Golf makes you tense, right? Because the whole wife thing?
13:15Dude, get your skunk breath out of my face or I swear to God.
13:17Oh what, tough guy? You're not going to do a damn thing about it, because if you so much as lay one
13:21finger on me, you're going right to jail. That's if I get caught.
13:28Hey Linda, can you turn the security cameras off for 90 seconds?
13:32A world away from goofy voices and romantic hijinks, Uncut Gems marked a radical left turn in Adam Sandler's
13:58career and a masterstroke of casting. Directed by the Safdie brothers, this anxiety-inducing crime
14:04thriller follows a manic New York jeweler with a gambling fixation and a death wish named Howard
14:09Ratner, played by Adam Sandler with nerve-shredding intensity.
14:13This is a huge game, that's why he's going so crazy up there.
14:17You know what, I'm tempted to wrangle the kids downstairs right now and get it over with.
14:22You really want to do that? I don't know how sensitive that is.
14:26Oh, you're calling me insensitive?
14:27I thought we both agreed that we'd wait till after Passover.
14:31It's a performance that stunned even his harshest critics, jittery, desperate and electric,
14:36without a trace of his usual schtick. Critics hailed it as the role of his career,
14:41and while the Academy infamously passed him over, the omission only amplified the film's legend.
14:46Gritty, relentless, and wildly unpredictable, Uncut Gems didn't just reinvent Sandler,
14:52it reminded everyone what he was truly capable of.
14:55I am, but I know where it's been. Look at this, it's Kevin Garnett's 2008 championship ring.
15:02Championship ring?
15:03Championship ring, 2008.
15:05Alright, you want to point it or you want to sell it?
15:06I want to point it, I want to point it.
15:08Let me take a quick look at it.
15:09Okay, I don't know what you're looking for, okay? That was just on his finger.
15:13Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
15:17Mr. Deeds.
15:18That's a lion punch.
15:21He adores a lion punch.
15:24Wow, you kind of just snuck up on me there, man.
15:28I fear you're underestimating the sneakiness, sir.
15:32Rain over me.
15:33So we know each other?
15:35Are you kidding me?
15:37It's Alan Johnson, Charlie.
15:41We went to dental school together.
15:44Burroughs Hall, I was your college roommate for Christ's sake.
15:46You don't remember me?
15:47Yeah, very cool, very cool.
15:50Good, good to see you Burroughs.
15:52It's Johnson.
15:53You don't mess with the Zohan.
15:55You come by my shop tomorrow.
15:58Israeli electronics, are you crazy?
16:00Everyone will recognize me.
16:02No, no, you don't look like same Zohan.
16:04You have silly haircut now.
16:05I bought a haircut.
16:07What?
16:08You say I look silly?
16:09No, no, no, no, no, who said this?
16:10You said this.
16:11No, no, no, no, nobody said nothing.
16:12Grown-ups.
16:13Buzzer's up there coaching Heaven's team now.
16:16That's true.
16:16He's got Wilt, Pistol Pete, Dr. J.
16:20Yeah, Dr. J's alive still.
16:23All those type of guys.
16:24Yeah, yeah.
16:25You look good though, man.
16:26It's like if Elvis was an Oompa Loompa.
16:29He's right in front of me.
16:31Well, I don't make jokes at funerals because it's disrespectful.
16:34Murder Mystery
16:35When we get to Monaco, I'll get you your clarity.
16:39It's not, you're not, it's going to be called something else over there,
16:41I'm telling you.
16:42Just remember the blue box.
16:44You know, Allegra in French means the same shit as clarity.
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17:03Number 1.
17:06Punch Drunk Love
17:07Long before Uncut Gems, it was Punch Drunk Love that first dared to ask,
17:31what if Adam Sandler wasn't just a belligerent man-child?
17:35Paul Thomas Anderson, one of modern cinema's most revered filmmakers,
17:39specifically sought Sandler out, convinced that there was something deeply human beneath
17:43his comedy.
17:44He wasn't wrong.
17:45As Barry Egan, a lonely, emotionally volatile novelty plunger salesman, Sandler delivers a
18:11quiet, aching performance that channels his trademark frustration into something raw and
18:16real.
18:16The film retains flashes of the Sandler we'd known.
18:19Awkward, angry, hilarious, but frames them in a surreal, artful context that redefined what
18:25he could do on screen.
18:27It was the first time audiences saw him in a different light and realized he could shine.
18:33Which Sandler joint is your favorite?
18:55Are there any we missed?
18:57Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
18:59I would say that's that, Mattress Man.
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