Adam Sandler is an excellent actor when he wants to be

He does a good job in Spanglish.

Because with shitty movies, he gets paid three times as much being the writer - Exec producer, actor, and sometimes director.

I think he likes goofing off with his friends filming and also giving them work

R3, for some reason he doesn't come off as goofing on the set type. Something about him screams it's all just business most of the time.

He donated money to Rudy Giuliani's 2008 presidential campaign.

R5 is a tattletale.

I suppose that does describe what I was doing, yes.

Adam is a kind person. Has spoken out in favor of gay rights and Jews (yes, I know he is Jewish). Gave Winona Ryder her first job in one of his movies after no one would touch her because of the shoplifting trial incident. Seems to be benevolent and good natured on the whole.

One of my favorites spots with Adam in it.

I'm sure all that is true R8, but given that he really can act, why do you think he doesn't get cast more often?

Because he has a specific non-leading man look, or because he'd rather be doing his comedies, which, as per R2, he makes a whole lot of money on.

I'm asking because it seems that most good actors veer the other way-- taking on roles without major payoffs that fulfill their artistic needs and get them critical acclaim.

Or is Adam Sandler just the honey badger of actors?

Sexy in an offbeat way.

Just because he CAN act doesn't mean he likes to. It's probably only of passing interest. He probably has to be seduced to do these acting gigs by directors or co-stars or something like that. He seems at heart to be a comedian who wants to please his comedy film audience and cash his checks. Good life.

I guess that's what's surprising R12-- most people who can act seem to enjoy doing serious acting and getting the critical raves.

Though your theory is probably correct-- he'd rather be making people laugh and the fact that he's a good serious actor is just a lucky strike extra.

Adam is not exactly a versatile actor so therefore he sticks to comedy which is his forte.

Adam Sandler and wife.

Just watched The Meyerowitz Stories. Sandler is excellent but Elizabeth Marvel absolutely deserved an Oscar nomination over Mary J. Blige, Octavia Spencer and even Allison Janney.

Agreed Sandler has real talent. But he also does some pretty terrible movies for no reason. If he applied himself to it earlier in his career, he possibly could have been one of the greats

Sorry, but this is still my favorite Adam Sandler scene.

I thought "Happy Gilmore" & "Billy Madison" were solidly funny, and "8 Crazy Nights" made me laugh a few times, but the rest.... UGH I'll go to my grave trying to decide which was worse: "Punch Drunk Love" or "Pixels".

Sandler’s dramatic films are the ones least likely to make lots of money, even though his dramatic performances are generally pretty good. He probably tries to balance his money-making films alongside personally fulfilling projects.

It’s interesting to see what he’s done with his Netflix producing deal - I believe The Meyerwitz Stories is one of the films produced under that partnership. His output has been hit or miss, but each project is distinct and he stretches himself more than he did in his box office movies. When making films for cinematic release, there is probably a lot of pressure to stick to proven formulas: for Sandler that probably means goofy voiced characters with explosive personalities.

I thought Sandler was one of the weaker links in the Meyerowitz movie along with the daughter. I thought Elizabeth Marvel and, surprisingly, Candice Bergen blew the rest of the cast out of the water.