OneofhismoreforgettablefilmsopenedatnumberoneattheboxofficewithTheWeddingsingerTheWaterboyandBigDaddySandlerheadlinethreecomediesin a rowthatgrossedover $100 million.
Unfortunately, thesamecannotbesaidforhisnextstarvehicle, LittleNicky, whichearnedSandlerTomborRazzienominationsplaying a characterwhosevoicesoundedlikefingernailson a chalkboard.
DirectorPaulThomasAndersonwas a fanofSandler's comedies, includingHappyGilmoreandBigDaddy.
AlthoughVarietydubbedSandlerthekingofmoronicfarce, Andersonsawuntappedpotential, castinghimastheshy, withdrawnBarryEganintheromanticdrama T punchDrunkLove.
Inthisfilm, Sandlerplayed a generallyniceguywho's pronetosuddenviolentoutbursts.
ButunlikeSandler's previousRolls, Andersonbroughtout a rawhumanityandSandlerthataudienceshadneverseenbefore.
Itwas a rolethatplayedtoSandler's actingstrengthswhilealsobringingouthisunexpecteddramaticrange.
ListentoMe, What's yourname, sir?
EvencriticslikeRogerEbert, whohadnevergivenSandler a positivereviewbefore, praisedhisperformance, whichearnedhim a GoldenGlobenominationforbestactor, motionpicture, musicalorcomedy.
Everytimehetook a stepforwardwith a challengingroleoreven a relativelyfunnymovielike 51stDates, hefellbackonoldhabitswithcomedieslikeGrownUpsandJustGoWithIt, Youguys, I seeitin a minute.
Okay, I loveYou.
AlthoughSandler's comedieshad a longstandingreputationforbeingcrude, hefinallytookitto a wholeotherlevelwithJackandJill.
UnlikeBillyMadisonorTheWeddingSinger, whichwerechildishyetfunny, Sandler's morerecentcomedieshadnothingresemblingeffortcausingThat's MyBoy, blendedandpixelstoallunderperformfasterthan I remember.
Despitenolongerbeing a guaranteedboxofficedraw, Sandler's leapttoNetflixprovedthathestillhad a followingtheridiculoussixTheDoOverandtheWeekofGotTrashedbycriticsbutprovedsuccessfulforthestreamingservice.
Between 100% freshandSNLSanlearnedtoprimetimeEmmynominationsin 2019 Sandlerwasfinallycharmingaudiencesandcriticssimultaneously.
HiswinningstreakculminatedwithUncutGems, a crimethrillerdirectedbythesaftybrothers.
Yeah, SandlerplayedHowardRatner, a compulsivegambler, slowlybutsurelydigginghisowngrave.
WhilewehaveseenSandlergivegreatperformancesbefore, thiswasarguablythefirsttimewe'veseenhimportray a characterwithsuchenergy, almostchanneling a youngAlPacinowinningbestactorattheNationalBoardofReview, SandlerseemedpoisedforanOscarnominationlikeJenniferLopez, EddieMurphyandotheractorswhomade a comebackthatyear, though, SandlergotNoLovefromtheacademymeansnothingmeantnothing.