Adam Sandler Birthday: 5 Critically Celebrated Movies You Must Watch to Grasp the Caliber of the Actor

Adam Sandler turns  55 today. The actor has been entertaining us since 1989 when he made his debut with Going Overboard. Over the years, he has made a brand out of himself with his slapstick humour, cringe comedy, and goofy adorability. He is not on top of the list of critically acclaimed actors. Well, we think the actor doesn't get his due in the industry. Given the right material, Sandler can move your artistic intellectualities with his performance. In fact, he has been a part of a few movies that went on to appease the critics. On the actor's birthday, let us talk about these movies which are nothing like the movies the actor is known for. Adam Sandler’s Best Actor Award Speech Dissing Oscars 2020 Snub From Independent Spirit Awards Is Going Viral (Watch Video).

Well, it is never bad to be popular. The actor's comedy films have made him a star all over the world. Titles like Murder Mystery, 50 First Dates, You Don't Mess with the Zohan are popular all over the globe. But in case you want the proof of his calibre, check out these five movies listed below.

Funny People (2009)

In this dramedy, Sandler plays a depressed comedian turned movie star. After discovering that he suffers from a terminal disease, he not only returns to comedy but also embarks on a journey to fix relationships in his life. He also helps a budding standup comic to...stand up.  Empire called Sandler a revelation in its review. The movie is funny, but not the laugh-out-loud-funny that has become Sandler's brand.

Watch The Trailer For Funny People Here:

Reign Over Me (2007)

Sandler starred alongside Don Cheadle in this buddy drama. Sandler plays a  man who has lost his family in the 9/11 attack. Five years on, he has still not healed. He runs into an old friend, played by Cheadle and the friendship helps him recover.

The New York Times wrote that this was the first time Sandler's acting held so much dramatic weight. "Mr Sandler’s performance is by no means understated, but neither is it typical. Rather it is the kind of role that tries to force you to see a familiar performer in a radical new light," the publication added.

Watch The Trailer For Reign Over Me Here:

Uncut Gems (2019)

Sandler's performance in this crime thriller will blow your mind. He plays the role of a New York City jeweller who risks everything to retrieve an expensive gem to fend off debt collectors. Given the right material, the actor has the ability to win an Oscar.

Impressed by his performance, he was nominated for a redemption award at the infamous Razzies, the award show to ridicule the worst of Hollywood. In fact, the actor was nominated at various awards, and lifted a few trophies even. Uncut Gems Movie Review: Adam Sandler's Insanely Good Performance and Safdie Brothers' Taut Direction Promise an Exhilarating Ride.

Watch This Video Where Writers And Directors Of Uncut Gems Break Down The Script:

Watch The Trailer For Uncut Gems Here:

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017)

Sandler plays one of the dysfunctional Meyerowitz siblings living under the shadow of their father in this dark comedy. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a fresh rating of 92%. Ben Stiller plays Sandler's brother in the movie. The New Yorker wrote, "Stiller and Sandler are opened up by the movie, not exactly shedding their habitual shticks—anxious tension for one, goofiness for the other—but offering glimpses of the unquiet feelings from which those habits might spring."

Watch The Meyerowitz Stories Trailer Here:

Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

In this black-comedy, Sandler plays a man with crippling social anxiety, who is also being emotionally abused by his sisters. He's also being extorted by a phone-sex hotline manager. An English woman enters his life accidentally, and changes it forever.

Filmmaker Taika Waititi has called Punch-Drunk-Love one of his favourite films. He has said, "It's uncomfortable, and awkward, and energetic and frenetic, and a really different Indie comedy."

Rolling Stones raved about the actor's performance. The publication wrote in the review of the film, "Adam Sandler will shock a lot of people with the ferocity and feeling of his performance in Punch-Drunk Love, especially those snobs who dismiss Sandler’s movies as moronic drool without actually seeing any of them."

 Watch This Amazing Video Essay On Punch Drunk Love:

And that's it from LatestLY. Before you call yourself an Adam Sandler fan, make sure to check out these movies. More importantly, before you dub yourself as an Adam Sandler hater, make very sure to watch the above-mentioned movies. A very happy birthday to the actor.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 09, 2020 01:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).