Adam Sandler is one of those actors you either love or hate. The overwhelming majority of his films are comedies that take place in exotic locations, something that he’s confirmed is a choice made so that he and his friends – who regularly star alongside him in his movies – can treat the experience like a vacation. It makes sense, of course – why not enjoy some gorgeous views while you’re shooting a fun film with your pals?
Despite the beautiful scenery and admittedly hilarious casting choices Sandler makes for his movies, however, they’re frequently critical bombs that many feel scrape the bottom of the barrel for laughs. That’s not to say every Sandler comedy is a total bust, though. Classics like Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy rank among some fans’ favorites, and even most of his mediocre offerings have at least a handful of hilarious moments. Plus, they consistently do well on streaming platforms like Netflix.
His comedy veins run deep, but Sandler recently proved his ability to be a serious actor as well when he took the lead in Uncut Gems. His role in the film – which is now available on Netflix – earned him significant critical praise and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead. But he’s showed up in a few other moderately serious parts in the past, too, such as Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me and a 2004 romantic comedy-drama called Spanglish.
That last one is headed to Amazon Prime on July 1st and if you haven’t had a chance to give it a watch yet, you’ll soon have the opportunity to enjoy this forgotten flick about love, emotional security and language barriers. The film was written and directed by James L. Brooks and in addition to Sandler in the lead role, it also stars Téa Leoni and Paz Vega.
Though it only holds a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s certainly worth checking out as once again, it shows the actor flexing his dramatic chops and while it does have some issues, Spanglish marks a nice change of pace from the usual fare he brings us and offers up an enjoyable performance from Adam Sandler that fans will no doubt appreciate.