Adam Sandler is a Gem

When you think of American Cinema icons, Adam Sandler probably isn’t one of the first names that come to mind, but his mark on comedy is undeniable. He, alongside his loyal Happy Madison cast and crew, has carved a unique lane in the shape of modern-day comedies in a way that few other comedian-turned-actors have. So when the Alamo Drafthouse announced that on Sept. 18, 2022, they would be hosting an Adam Sandler movie marathon, I couldn’t buy my ticket fast enough.

“Enter the Sandman” was a love letter to all things Happy Madison, hosted by people who truly understand the man more than most. The pitch was simple: a 6-and-a-half-hour marathon of pure Happy Madison dumbassery, but with a twist. No one besides the programmers knew what the movies being screened were. So at 11 am on September 18th, I took my seat and buckled in. The two hosts came out and proudly declared this wasn't for the indie crowds. No need to worry as Punch Drunk Love and Uncut Gems weren't on the table. After some more info about the making of the event and a few vague clues as to what the first movie would be, the lights dimmed and the marathon began.

The Wedding Singer (dir. Frank Coraci, 1998, 35mm)

A solid choice to ease the audience in and get them relaxed with what many consider to be his best movie. Embarrassingly, this was the one that I hadn’t seen before, but the hype immediately made sense. The movie has a big heart that it wears on its sleeve. It doesn't try to do anything too funny or goofy, and all the jokes land in a way that make you feel warm inside. Overall, it was a fantastic opener, and the room had an all-around good vibe to it that set the tone for the rest of the event.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Jack and Jill (dir. Dennis Dugan, 2011, 35mm)

Jack and Jill rules, plain and simple. The two hosts introduced this one by saying they had to get one "Sandler voice" movie in there and they were putting it in early. The movie is classic “Silly Sandler” fare and you know what you’re getting into the moment the montage of interview clips with the twins ends. What sets this movie apart are its little oddities, like the crew of a Pepto Bismol commercial casually drinking Pepto as if it's water or Adam Sandler playing Jack dressed as Jill to try to convince Al Pacino to do a commercial he doesn’t want to do. Also, Al Pacino. The guy gives this movie 100% of his attention and commits to an all gas, no-brakes performance that culminates in one of the funniest jokes in movie history: the Dunkacchino commercial. (Of course Dunkacchino landed on its feet, even if you hate this movie you have to admit, the sheer absurdity of getting Al Pacino to commit to this joke is amazing.) Everyone seemed to be having a good time with this one, and instead of judging it, maybe viewers should just try to lie back and have a good time with it.

Does Jack and Jill feature Sandler doing his high pitched, arguably annoying voices? Sure, but isn’t that why you watch this movie? Once you find out the movie is Jack and Jill, you might expect groans from the audience, but this was met with an excitement that I can only imagine was present in a sold out crowd on opening night in 2011. The reputation that this movie has wasn’t felt in the slightest, and honestly was more welcoming than one could imagine. Although it was early on in the marathon, this particular movie really spoke to the audience’s glee at getting to be amongst other fans and openly enjoy a movie so utterly hated in cinephile spaces.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Click (dir. Frank Coraci, 2006, 35mm)

Probably the best choice of a follow up to Jack and Jill, a nice TBS sunday morning classic. Click is probably the Adam Sandler movie that everyone has seen, so this one offered a good chance for audience members to gather themselves and maybe run to the bathroom or place an order. Surprisingly the movie still holds up and all the emotional beats still land, even though it gets a bit more surreal towards the end than I remembered. Other than that, not too much to say on it.

While the movie wasn’t particularly life-changing on the big screen, Click offered a good moment to step back and assess the audience's energy, which at this point was still electrifying. We were about 3 hours into the marathon at this point, which for most other movies would have been the ending. By this point the fatigue should have settled in, but the crowd still had a lot of energy. This might have seemed like an obvious choice for the event because of its relatively beloved reputation, but its placement in the movie marathon added to the experience, instead. Was it the most bold choice of a movie to follow after a bona fide Sandler classic and then one of the most reviled movies of all time? By no means, but it was 100% the right decision.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Grown Ups 2 (dir. Dennis Dugan, 2013, 35mm)

Initially an interesting choice to end the marathon on, considering how many other options were possible, but ultimately, this one made a lot of sense. Grown Ups 2 may be the pinnacle of the Happy Madison ensemble comedy and the current state of Adam Sandler’s movies. Every joke in this movie ranges from childish to something that would make your Dad keel over from laughter. Having only seen this one on DVD while sick in high school, it was a good feeling to know that the jokes I found hilarious at 18 land even harder among an audience. The “Summertime” joke in particular was one that I was worried about not hitting for an audience not hopped up on cough syrup and lukewarm chicken noodle soup, but the crowd seemed to feel the same gravitas I felt while on the brink of death. Everyone gets a chance to shine in this one, whether it be Shaq as a balding police officer, Taylor Lautner as a generic hypermasc frat guy, or the deer who wakes up the family by peeing and screaming as it runs through the house.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The event went off without a hitch. What should have been a slog through annoying voices and immature humor was really a loving representation of all the things that gave Sandler his edge. Sitting down with the runtime in mind was daunting but afterwards I was ready to go home and put on another four Sandler movies and really give him his due. The time flew by both because of how funny these movies are, but also how easy they are to watch, especially in a crowd. The audience cheered and laughed at all the appropriate times, and even did some callouts which seemed to be created on the fly. One guy shouted “What?!” every time something outrageous happened and maybe that’s how we all felt on the inside. Maybe we all wanted to shout and interact with the screen in a way that you don’t normally get when seeing a movie with an audience, but for these 6 and a half hours it was acceptable, even encouraged. It was fine to call out the ridiculousness of the images on the screen just as much as it was fine to share a genuine laugh at them. We were united in the experience of watching Adam Sandler.

On the surface, the initial question was why these four movies? But looking a bit deeper into them, I couldn’t imagine a better set of movies to show. They showcase Sandler's more sentimental sides (in this case, his movies directed by Frank Coraci), and the goofier side that everyone comes to associate his films with (the ones directed by Dennis Dugan). This was the Drafthouse’s first marathon in three years, and Adam Sandler's filmography was the perfect subject to come back with. Huge shoutout to them for sourcing all of these movies on 35mm film, which just added to this time capsule feeling. The time flew by and for good reason. His movies are familiar; they feel like hanging out with an old friend who is always good for a laugh, the type of friend who makes you feel better than you did before you saw him. It was great to experience these movies in a crowded theater again, something that, since the Netflix deal, has become increasingly more difficult to do.

This marathon seems like something I could have only dreamt of. Due to the policies in place about speaking at the Drafthouse, I rarely get the sense of community that occurs when you see a crowd-pleasing movie in a sold out theater. A muted respect is always present, but for this marathon, that sense of respect was still present in a way that also respected the movies placed in front of us. Sandler movies call for your loud and drunk uncle to laugh at the screen at the top of his lungs, and for the first time in a while I got to experience that sensation. A boisterous crowd, not being obnoxious, but just having a good time with the material and connecting to it in a way that only few “movie stars” seem capable of giving nowadays. Despite the voices online that may seem louder and willing to shoot Adam Sandler down at every turn, he’s still working and still showing us why he got to where he is today.