Underrated Adam Sandler Movies, Ranked By Sandman Fans (2024)

50 First Dates

What It’s About: Lucy (Drew Barrymore) experiences daily amnesia as the result of a car accident when she was a teen. She cannot form new memories and wakes up every morning believing it's the day of her injury. The commitment-shy Henry (Sandler) falls in love with Lucy and searches for a way to build a lasting relationship with her.

Why It’s Underrated: The 2004 rom-com paired The Wedding Singer stars Sandler and Barrymore together for the second time, and it exists in the shadow of that mega-hit as a result. The pair's onscreen compatibility takes center stage as the "cinema soulmates” play engaging characters that are easy to root for.

Most Memorable Scene: Lucy’s dad gives Henry a Beach Boys CD with the song “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” which Lucy had started singing to herself. As he listens to the song while sailing away to try to move on from Lucy, the emotion gets to him, and Henry sobs uncontrollably while belting out the lyrics.

Fun Fact: The rom-com was initially planned to take place in Seattle, before the filmmakers had the idea to change the setting to Hawaii.

• Dig Deeper...50 First Dates Isn't Romantic - It's About A Guy Who Takes Advantage Of A Disabled Woman
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Click

What It’s About: Michael (Sandler) is a workaholic trying to get promoted at the expense of spending time with his family. He obtains a magical remote that allows him to control his life, allowing him to fast-forward, pause, and rewind real events at his whim.

Why It’s Underrated: Though it's easy to dismiss Click as a silly bit of early-2000s fluff better left in that decade, the sci-fi comedy works as a high-concept premise with enough laughs to make the film's “life lessons” about remaining present with loved ones bearable. Michael learns the value of time, and Sandler sells the emotional scenes.

Most Memorable Scene: Michael starts to use the remote that Monty (Christopher Walken) gave him to review his romantic history. An immersive DVD-style menu pops up, allowing him to scroll through ex-girlfriends, hilariously underscored by the song “Love Hurts.”

Fun Fact: Click earned an Academy Award nomination for best makeup, but lost to Pan’s Labyrinth. It was the first (and so far only) movie produced by Sandler's company Happy Madison Productions to get a nod at the Oscars.

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Mr. Deeds

What It’s About: Mr. Deeds is a remake of Frank Capra’s film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. The 2002 comedy tells the story of what unfolds when pizzeria owner Longfellow Deeds (Sandler) inherits $40 billion from a long-lost uncle.

Why It’s Underrated: Mr. Deeds has had a rather mixed reception from critics and casual viewers alike, though in hindsight, the movie is still far more entertaining than its initial reception indicates. Sandler takes on the Gary Cooper role from Capra’s 1936 classic, and Longfellow is much more reserved than Sandler's other popular comedy characters. Yet, it’s John Turturro as Emilio Lopez, the deceased billionaire’s butler/illegitimate son, who steals the show. The foot-loving servant has a way of sneaking up on people and getting laughs out of every scene he's in.

Most Memorable Scene: Emilio informs his new boss that it’s time for his sock change. That’s when Longfellow tells him about how he suffered frostbite when he was younger. He shows the butler his vile black foot. Longfellow says that he can’t feel anything and insists on Emilio jumping on his foot and whacking it with a fire iron.

Fun Fact: Sandler doesn’t have many sequels or remakes in his filmography. He made an exception for Mr. Deeds when he found out that the source material was one of his grandma’s favorite movies.

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Big Daddy

What It’s About: Sonny (Sandler) is an unambitious 32-year-old law school graduate who works as a toll collector. After his girlfriend breaks up with him, Sonny adopts a five-year-old boy to show her how mature he can be.

Why It’s Underrated: Big Daddy is far from a prestige drama like Uncut Gems, but it's also not as silly as other Sandler comedies like Little Nicky and Happy Gilmore. Big Daddy mixes in plenty of sincere Sandler moments alongside crude teenage humor, making it a fun way to spend 93 minutes that also can pull at heartstrings.

Most Memorable Scene: Sonny waxes poetic to young Julian about how lucky they are to live in a world where they can eat McDonald’s breakfast. After facing a series of obstacles, they arrive at McDonald’s too late for breakfast. The audience feels Sonny's pain. His subsequent temper tantrum is what polite society wants to do but never can.

Fun Fact: Paul Thomas Anderson expressed love for Big Daddy; he was especially impressed with Sandler’s performance, which led him to write Punch-Drunk Love for the actor.

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Reign Over Me

What It’s About: Alan (Don Cheadle) and Charlie (Sandler) were roommates in college but lost touch after school. Charlie is completely despondent following the death of his wife and three daughters who died on one of the planes that crashed on September 11, 2001. His chance reunion with Alan proves to be therapeutic.

Why It's Underrated: The 2007 drama just barely made back its budget at the box office, yet its quality is far higher than that poor financial performance would suggest. Though there's just enough levity mixed in to help break up the traumatic moments, it's a rare example of Sandler working on a project that doesn't rely on comedy. All in all, Reign Over Me is a powerful film about losing everything and finding your way back with the help of a friend.

Most Memorable Scene: The scene when Charlie tells Alan what happened to his family is heartbreaking. Sandler plays the scene to perfection as the dialogue blends funny tidbits about his daughters and wife with the tragedy that occurred that September morning.

Fun Fact: In an inteview, Star Wars actress Daisey Ridley cited Reign Over Me as the movie that makes her cry the most.

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Anger Management

What It’s About: A secretary with a massive temper named Dave (Sandler) is wrongly forced to attend an anger management program, where he works with a therapist (Jack Nicholson) with anger issues of his own. Dave is later required to spend every minute with Dr. Rydell.

Why It’s Underrated: Some critics derided the film for being “one-note” in terms of its comedy, but this downplays just how many laughs audience members are likely to get from Anger Management. Jack Nicholson plays an unhinged therapist and is given free rein to act completely bonkers. That alone makes this one a must-watch.

Most Memorable Scene: While accompanying Dave to work, Dr. Rydell noticed Dave growing angry in traffic and forces him to stop his car on a busy bridge and sing, “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story. Dave initially struggles through the lyrics, “I feel pity for any girl who isn't me today." Before long, though, he succumbs to the silliness of the sudden performance.

Fun Fact: FX adapted the movie for the small screen with Charlie Sheen taking over the therapist role. It was the actor’s first role after being fired from Two and a Half Men. The series aired for two seasons.

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