It's big news when an animated movie aimed at tykes cuts into Adam Sandler's fan base and whups his ass. That's what happened this weekend when Kung Fu Panda, with Jack Black doing the voice of a roly-poly Chinese bear, took in $60 million from 4,114 theaters, leaving Sandler's You Don't Mess With the Zohan to eat its dust with $40 million from 3,462 theaters. OK, $40 million is nothing to blow hummus at, it's only the fifth Sandler movie to debut at that mark (The Longest Yard is the No. One Sandler opening at $48 million). But who could have guessed that 71 percent of the Panda audience would be over 17 and that 51 percent would be over 25? Also, Panda won much better reviews, 85 percent favorable according to the rottentomatoes Website, as opposed to 35 percent favorable for Zohan, starring Sandler as a Mossad agent who chucks commando work to cut and style hair in New York. Sharp idea for a comedy with a sting—and Sandler is quite good in it— but oh the sloppy execution. Now that Sandler is stuck with a panda's sloppy seconds, it might be time to consider a few questions: Is Sandler talented?
I say YES. Sandler is superb in Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love, and solid in James L. Brooks' underrated Spanglish. No way does Sandler deserve to be penalized for dumping comedy to take on a dramatic role. He even has his moments in Mike Binder's way overdone Reign Over Me, playing a dentist who lost his wife and two children when their jet crashed into the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Is Sandler funny? I'd say YES again. But his comedies, including Zohan, miss more often than hit, often because of a jones for potty humor that borders on addiction and a sentimental streak that blunts his tougher jokes.
So, for an exercise, I'll list my favorite Sandler films, goodies and guilty pleasures, and you do the same. Let's see if we can can get some consensus going:
THE BEST OF SANDLER
Punch Drunk Love
Spanglish
Billy Madison
Happy Gilmore
The Wedding Singer
The Waterboy (so sue me)
THE WORST OF SANDLER
Little Nicky
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Eight Crazy Nights
Big Daddy
Mr. Deeds
Click
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Big Daddy | July 6, 2008 5:33 PM
I have to say I have seen enough Adam Sandler moveies to say I skip whatever comes next. He was alright in his early stuff, however as most actors that get huge egos so does the work they produce. Why do bad actors keep making millions?
dan | July 1, 2008 1:51 PM
sandler was funny in happy gilmore & it's all been downhill since. he really shouldn't have played this role it was such a poor movie & complete propoganda. I used to think he was cool but now I think he's a total dick with no style at all.
jennasietta | June 21, 2008 11:01 AM
wedding singer
50 first dates
punch drunk love
anger managment
spanglish
reign on me
The worst movie ever made was overboard
Harris Cohen | June 20, 2008 9:42 AM
Fifty First dates was great .
I enjoyed Click a lot despite poor reviews intimating it as a copy ofIts a Wonderful Life.
The Zohan was worth 2.5 stars but his accent, unlike what the reviews stated , was fine.
The sexuality of Zohan was a little silly but think about his almost respectful use of it vis a vis older women customers.
Some of my joy in his films is his reuse of actors who seem to become friends of his productions.
In Zohan, his scattered Hebrew words were appropriate. His message of peace .. a nice gesture to a difficult situation most would not even use for a script.
i'm sorry but ... | June 17, 2008 11:24 AM
the Zohan itself is the worst Sandler movie ever!
Alison | June 15, 2008 11:00 AM
I'd add Big Daddy to the 'best' list, if only because of the help Sandler gets from his pint-size partner in it. He seems to need help with his comedy and does better when there's other talent around for him to lean on. As a sole star? I'm still waiting for something to equal the performance in Happy Gilmore.
Anonymous | June 14, 2008 3:36 PM
i think Sandler is a miracle man. he was the LEAST funny cast member on SNL and is now the MOST successful alum movie-wise of that show. his humor escapes me...and i'd be worried about myself if i DID think he was funny. now i worry about Peter Travers.
NotMozart | June 12, 2008 5:41 PM
Oops, Happy Gilmore, I apologize.
NotMozart | June 12, 2008 5:41 PM
I agree with your choices, Peter, I would only move Happy Madison and The Wedding Singer up a slot, respectively, while moving Billy Madison below The Wedding Singer. While I like Billy Madison, I just don't believe it is above those two.
The Duke of Down Town | June 12, 2008 3:20 PM
The thing about You don’t mess with the Zohan is that this is as far as my knowledge the first Sandler comedy where Sandler isn’t playing that same underdog role that we used to see in literally every one of his other comedies. I wonder if he may be scrapping his old formula and we’re going to see more of his movies take this approach?
The Good…
(I didn’t see “Punch Drunk Love” or “Spanglish” but I assume they’re great)
Big Daddy (If you overlook the horrible cover of the classic Guns N Roses song “Sweet Child O’ Mine” fans of the original would be insulted)
The Wedding Singer
The Waterboy
Happy Gilmore
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (I actually thought that this one was pretty funny… I don‘t know why anyone else wouldn‘t.)
The Bad…
Billy Madison (Not because it was a bad movie. It was a really immature comedy made for the people who love really immature comedy. It just didn‘t have something to offer anyone else. sorry. )
Mr. Deeds (It was just to shallow for me… idk)
GU$ | June 12, 2008 10:27 AM
Happy Gilmore
The Wedding Singer
Billy Madison
Click
Anger Management
Spanglish
These films are all Sandler classics but i have to say he's made a few Cleveland Steamers in his time. Out of the SNL alumni I think he one of the all time best up there with Myers Myers, Bill Murray, Will Farrell, Eddie Murphy, John Belushi, Robert Downey Jr and Ben Stiller.
Bangers-N-Mash | June 12, 2008 10:04 AM
Seeing Adam Sandler in bad movies...
reminds me how Jim Carrey has taken some bad movies lately as well. But the difference is, Jim Carrey is 100x funnier and is about 50x the actor Sandler is.
BTW, the only time I laughed during Click.. is when he is crying at the end of the movie, such terrible terrible acting
B | June 12, 2008 5:38 AM
Spanglish is a really good movie. (BTW, James L. Brooks has been behind some of the best movies and TV shows out there). Probably my favorite Sandler movie. Little Nicky and Click deserve to be on the "worst" list. The omission of "50 First Dates" from the "best" list is onee of many clues that my taste in movies differs pretty substantially from Peter Travers'. I like Big Daddy and Mr. Deeds. Billy Madison was pretty stupid and forgettable. Happy Gilmore was better, but still not as good as some of the more recent movies. So, despite the 2 star review, I want to see Zohan.
HashimImran Khan. | June 12, 2008 4:45 AM
Luk mate i m hashim imran frm pakistan and i totaly diss agree with u,in ma opinion jack balck is nt a better comidian then adamsandler and the movie wazz not publisized su much,su these were the first week reviews and i bet u that adamsandler with kick the but of panda in reality and an other impo note click,little nicky,big dady and i pronounce it chuck and larry were one of the best movies of adam sandler,su i hup that u won't messup with adam sandler again because he still ve a better fan base then u r asswhole panda.
mike | June 12, 2008 2:34 AM
Sorry Peter,
Happy Gilmore is by far Sandler's best. Despite it's insanity, it is possibly the most real character he has played. Happy Gilmore is the perfect display of a failure done good, and a kind-hearted guy who is more than a little rough around the edges. Billy Madison is his second best, but for the opposite reasons. Its insanity is what makes it one of the funniest movies of my generation.
KiKi | June 12, 2008 2:15 AM
The Waterboy and The Wedding Singer (Classics)! I have to say that I really loved Mr. Deeds (own it) and I liked both Little Nicky and Eight Crazy Nights (sucker for anime).
That said...I will now go see Kung Fu Panda just for the hell of it and Zohan, apparently to prove to myself that I'm not a lame ass and the guy is funny.
Josh | June 12, 2008 12:56 AM
I have a great big soft spot for "50 First Dates," actually. I thought he was great in it and the film itself was really good.
mike | June 11, 2008 9:43 PM
adam sandler sucks. sure i laugh at some of his jokes, but he always does the SAME ONES!! has anyone noticed that on most of his movies he does a joke about having a tiny penis? (or a really big one... what does that tell you?)
fatmont | June 11, 2008 9:19 PM
Jackson, P wrote: "Yep I agree with your list Peter. Happy Gilmore is possibly the best golfing movie ever."
Are you kidding me? Caddyshack destroys Happy Gilmore. It's a funny movie, probably Sandlers funniest....but.....come on. We're talking freaking Caddyshack!!
daniel moore | June 11, 2008 5:47 PM
this guy is simply not funny
alejo | June 11, 2008 5:34 PM
Adam Sandler seems like a good guy but for the first part of his career his jokes were just about yelling and yelling way or acting silly but heroic in a violent way. There is nothing very unique or profound in his humor but he has made a career from basically repeating the same joke over and over while he must think that the viewers are dumb enough to fall for a simple change of scenery... In this fashion, he is no Mel Brooks. from the golf courses to the football field, from the 80's to present, so forth and so forth, it is all the same joke and it never has been funny.
gibsonblueridge | June 11, 2008 12:57 PM
Sandler is talent..less
um | June 11, 2008 12:40 PM
I think you're missing the point. Paul Thomas Anderson could make Paris Hilton look like a genius. Point in case: after Punch Drunk Love, Anderson was making movies with any actor whose name he could pronounce, I don't remember Steven Spielberg calling up Sandler for his next masterpiece.
Anonymous | June 11, 2008 10:11 AM
punch drunk love is great!
thomas | June 11, 2008 6:40 AM
Sandler has his moments..but I'm also surprized at how he gets to star in so many movies.
A few of his movies standout above the others but all in all they're mediocre.
He's the luckiest guy in Hollywood.
thdestroyerofworlds | June 10, 2008 6:30 PM
sandler sucks period...
the destroyer of worlds has spoken
CLP | June 10, 2008 2:46 PM
No one has made more money with less talent in the history of entertainment. Period.
jay | June 10, 2008 5:32 AM
Big Daddy was one of his best films ever! I can't believe its on your worst films list. Other than that, your list is fine.
jargandargan | June 10, 2008 1:59 AM
PS:
where's bulletproof?
jargandargan | June 10, 2008 1:57 AM
I liked little nicky a lot, but I think that's probably because I tend to love things that anger idiots. I get a kick out of people bashing it, and I loved that awful haircut/face/talking combo.
Other than that, I think Travers' list was dead on (in content, not necessarily order).
And as far as the Panda vs Zohan debate goes, Zohan kicked Panda's ass, hands down.
Only way Panda would've stood a chance is if they ditched the animation idea and just had jack black wear a really goofy panda outfit and play it out as though he were actually a panda. If that would've happened, the war in the middle east would probably have ended immediately due to the sublime beauty.
Andrew (Toronto) | June 10, 2008 1:11 AM
I can't believe Little Nicky is your #1 worst Sandler film! I agree 100% with the rest of the worst list. But Nicky is a great flick, especially for metal fans (although the soundtrack was pretty weak for a film about a demon who loves metal).
Brandon | June 10, 2008 12:42 AM
Airheads was his worst movie.
Best Drama: Punch Drunk Love
Best Comedy: Happy Gilmore
I'm sorry but it does'nt get any better than Sandler getting his ass kicked by Bob Barker.
Jackson, P | June 9, 2008 11:22 PM
Yep I agree with your list Peter. Happy Gilmore is possibly the best golfing movie ever. It also happens those comedies were made early on in Sandler's career when he had much less to lose and his eye and ear for comedy weren't blunted by the need to covet Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards or prove himself as a dramatic actor. Sad to say he's just rich and lazy now.
Vanessa | June 9, 2008 9:51 PM
My order would be pretty similar, but I would place Wedding Singer above Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, and, for some insane reason, I actually enjoyed Little Nicky. A lot. Something's wrong with me, I know...
dryer | June 9, 2008 7:38 PM
My favorite Sandler films are the dramatic roles, i.e. SPANGLISH & PUNCH DRUNK. Its amazing how well he conveys man/childlike emotion when he's toned down; essentially externally representing what all men feel. REIGN was a contrived effort, trying too hard to be a by-the-number indie film; rather than letting the story play itself out.
His best mainstream film is BIG DADDY; possibly the closest to a merge of the two drama & comedy film genre's. The rest of his comedy films are a waste of celluloid. Maybe KUNGFU PANDA box office is sign of his adopted GEN-Y audience finally growing out their adolescent taste.
jw | June 9, 2008 6:10 PM
I think Big Daddy is his best, and I couldn't even finish watching click. Wedding Singer is great, Billy Madison not so much. But what matters more than whether or not he's talented in the minds of Hollywood is can he open a movie? And we know from both of your lists that yes, he can open a movie. Maybe better than anyone else in the business. The end.
M. Komar | June 9, 2008 5:43 PM
The problem with Zohan is that Sandler could of done a clever satire on the war of terror. But he decides to gimmick it up. However, he nails the Mid-eastern accent pretty well.
Also, Pete, you got your lists down pat.
J | June 9, 2008 5:36 PM
1. Punch-Drunk Love
2. Everything else he's ever done. It all seems the same to me with PDL as the lone exception.
Movie Mike | June 9, 2008 3:45 PM
His funniest is still Happy Gilmore.
Little Nicky and Chuck and Larry run neck-and-neck for his worst.
And I'm sorry...but Waterboy sucked too.
His "best" comedy is probably 50 First Dates. None of them are technically good...but that one has heart.
Juan Carlo | June 9, 2008 2:57 PM
He's no Rob Schneider, thank God. Sandler can still make me chuckle wherever he goes. But something about his movies keep pushing me away. And yes, THE WATERBOY was hilarious.
Ronbo (Celtics Baby!!) | June 9, 2008 12:49 PM
Replace both Billy Madison and Waterboy with Click and Big Daddy....
as for worst the longest yard sucked major balls imo...
the wedding singer was definitely his best comedy, busciemi is damn hilarious in that shit