On Adam Sandler

My friend Josh works at the evening standard and sometimes asks me to write my opinion about topics that are in the news that day. Recently he asked me to send him 100 words on Adam Sandler - they didn't print it as they already had one with that point of view so I thought I'd print it here:

Saturday Night Live was the mainstay of my teenage years in Canada during the time Adam Sandler dominated the programme. Since then I think I've watched every one of his movies. The SNL alumni of those years seemed to breed the broad comedic acting Sandler is know for and that persona is hard to shake. Though I think of Billy Madison as a false start, Happy Gilmore really made Sandler into a main player and he has become an industry of his own as an actor, writer, singer and executive producer. But because of his comedic reputation, I believe his more serious turns are overlooked.

Though I enjoyed his films before, after watching his performance in Punch-Drunk Love, I saw Sandler in a different light. In amongst his teenage boy comedy or family fare, you'll find hidden gems like 50 First Dates or Spanglish, which I cited during my interview for my masters program. I now joke that an Adam Sandler film got me into higher education as his name is so often attributed to the type of American comedy Brits sneer at. But why? Look through his wide range of films and you'll find something for everyone. I think if his sweeter and more touching films were promoted more in the UK, he may be seen in a more serious light.