So, for the column today, I decided to go in a different direction, rather than give you either something overrated or something underrated, I decided to pick a topic, and then give you both an under and overrated item from that topic.
Today, that topic will be the much maligned Adam Sandler.
Sandler has never been on the same page as film critics. Critics tend to see film as an expression of art and technical talent, Sandler has always seen film as pure entertainment. It's obvious that Sandler enjoys his movies, after all, who wouldn't. He brings in some of the best actors in the business for his films, goofs around and has fun, and then makes tons of money. Sandler will doubtfully ever win an Oscar or gain critical recognition on a large scale, but its good to remember sometimes that film is more than just stuck up critics who don't even have a good time at movies. With that said, oftentimes Sandler can leaving you feel a little burned out from all the yelling. So with a nod to both parties lets look at the under and overrated gems from Sandler's past.
OVERRATED: You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Sandler has seemingly always had 3 gears. His most comfortable gear is the over the top stupidity and guy humor. He's loud, obnoxious, learns his lesson, gets the girl, and has a bunch of laughs. A solid majority of his movies fall into this category, it's what gives him his brand and makes him money.
His second gear is still primarily the loud obnoxious humor, but this time is isn't a blabbering idiot, and he actually is trying to make a "touching" point. These include: Click, 50 First Dates, Bedtime Stories, The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, and you could argue Mr. Deeds. Sandler seemed to make a natural progression to this style as he matured, and now more and more of his movies start falling into this section.
Finally, there is the Adam Sandler who must just like to mess around with critics, beccause he pulls out a dramatic, somber performance, and often gets rather favorable reviews. Funny People, Reign Over Me, Spanglish, and Punch Drunk Love, that's the entire list. The latter even garnered Sandler a Golden Globe nomination, and widespread critical praise. Sandler has shown off this side of himself more and more, though we never can be sure when this Sandler will decide to show up.
Unfortunately, even as it seemed Sandler might have been finding a happy medium in his life, he decided to release "Zohan" and show us just how crude he could still be. However, this time, his crude humor wasn't as funny as his classics like "Happy Gilmore" and "Billy Madison", and instead of just being adolescently crude, he amped up the sexual content and innuendo, and the result was a rather unfunny movie which featured all too many cringe worthy sex references.
Shockingly, some people ate it up. Ebert called it one of his favorite Sandler movies ever and actually LIKED it, which, if you know Ebert and Sandler, you know thats virtually a sign of the apocalypse.
Now, I like Sandler, and I'm a fan of most of his movies. However, "Zohan" struck me as amateurish in a way that his younger movies never did, maybe I just came to expect more from Sandler over the years, but "Zohan" was a major bust in my book.
2 out of 10 Elliots
(In honor of my inaugural Mustache Column, I will be rating things on a scale of 1 to 10 Sam Elliots)
UNDERRATED: Big Daddy
At the other end of the spectrum, is a Sandler movie that was released during the height of his Happy Gilmore/Wedding Singer popularity, and yet kind of missed the boat.
Big Daddy is one of the first Sandler movies to really push into the second phase of his film making. It still has his trademark insults and rebellious streak, but it forgoes the psychotic of Happy Gilmore, and the idiot of Billy Madison and The Waterboy. Unfortunately, because studios want to make money, "Big Daddy" was marketed as another Sandler stupid comedy. The posters and DVD case feature the stars peeing on a door, alienating people looking for a decent feel good story, and then surprising kids when it wasn't the same stupid old Sandler punching celebrities and shouting like a moron.
At its heart, Big Daddy is actually a pretty good story about a drowning loser who misses the past, and the little boy who saves him. It features a young Dylan Sprouse, who would later star in one of my favorite TV movies "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause" before becoming a Disney Channel star with "The Suite Life of Zac and Cody." Also featuring Joey Lauren Adams, fairly fresh off of "Chasing Amy", Leslie Mann, who he would again star with in "Funny People", and of course a slew of recurring Sandler friends, including the always funny Steve Buscemi, and actually, one of Rob Schneider's better Sandler cameos. Big Daddy is one of Sandler's best, and it holds up well over time. If you think you might want to give Sandler a chance after seeing some of his newer stuff, I advise you to check out Big Daddy, if you already are a Sandler fan, pull this off the shelf some night, it may not get the same pedigree as Happy Gilmore, but its Sandler at his best, funny, but subdued.
6 out of 10 Elliotts
Thats all for today folks, as always, have a great day and check back tomorrow.
-Latin
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