Adam Sandler is one of the funniest comedic geniuses of our time–there’s no denying that. The Happy Gilmore actor has the repertoire and the reputation to prove it. Yes, a lot of them are silly, going for that unexpected yet predictable punchline joke. So, there's this perception that the Grown Ups actor is nothing more than a comedic actor. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth, and it would seem that George Clooney agrees with me.
For those who don’t believe Sandler is more than a comedic actor, I challenge you to look at his entire movie catalog again. Each performance, even his comedy roles, signal the Big Daddy actor can go deeper, and he has on multiple occasions, including the upcoming Noah Baumbach picture, Jay Kelly.
In the upcoming Netflix film, Sandler supports George Clooney’s character, Jay Kelly, an older movie star actor who travels across Europe as he learns the reality of fame and success. The two became very close over the course of filming, and Clooney told Vanity Fair just how much he admires Sandler’s work, saying:
This film, more than any film Adam has done, shows what a beautiful, heartfelt, soulful actor he is—I kept telling the cast, ‘Don’t call him Sand Man. Don’t talk to him like he’s just some goofy comedian. He’s actually a really beautiful, wonderful actor.’ Because of what his paycheck is, which is doing big goofy comedies, when he does these other, beautiful, Uncut Gems kinds of movies, it reminds people of that. He’s not just a good comedian.
The two first met decades ago when Clooney hosted SNL, and they’ve been friends since. In a way, both parts seem written for them. The Ocean's Eleven actor mirrors the main character Jay Kelly to a T, while Sandler plays Kelly’s manager, who holds unconditional loyalty and love for his longtime client and friend. In my opinion, Sandler’s best movies are in the romance genre (50 First Dates is my favorite), so he knows how to sell love extremely well.
I do find it ironic, though, that Uncut Gems is the movie Clooney uses as an example to showcase the Billy Madison actor’s versatility. Uncut Gems is most commonly the one movie people reference when talking about the SNL alum’s foray into more serious roles. The critically acclaimed, suspenseful A24 film about a high roller gambling addict showed his ability to play a different kind of character, one that’s a lot less likable.
That movie came out in 2019, though, and Sandler, to Clooney’s point, has been a versatile actor for much longer than six years. I raise you one Punch Drunk Love, the Paul Thomas Anderson film that really was Sandler’s feature debut in a dramatic role, and if you haven’t seen it, I highly suggest you check it out.
In this film, Sandler plays a kind, lonely man looking for love, a task challenged by occasional angry outbursts. While this may seem like the plot to another somewhat goofy Sandler rom-com, there’s an element of suspense added when his character, Barry Egan, gets a call from an extortionist.
For a lot of people, this was likely the first time watching the Waterboy actor sans all the slapstick jokes, and after seeing Punch Drunk Love, there is no one else better to play that role. Previous Sandler collaborator and Spaceman director Johan Renck said that it's almost better when typically comedic actors excel in dramatic roles, because the audience is even more moved when they see a sort of rare vulnerability from the actor. And that's exactly what Sandler did in this movie, and his other dramatic films.
I tend to find that every Sandler role has heart, whether it’s comedic or not, but I definitely see Renck’s point. Needless to say, as an Adam Sandler fan, I always love seeing him reach outside his comfort zone. So I can’t wait until his team-up with Clooney when Jay Kelly hits the 2025 movie schedule on December 5.
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