To many, the name Adam Sandler brings to mind inane voices, gross-out stunts, and silly jokes involving shampoo or hockey sticks. But the thing is, Sandler has become, quietly, one of Hollywood’s largest dramatic surprises.
In addition to the pratfalls and goofy presence, he’s built a body of more substantial work that proves just how much scope he really has. Let’s count off eight of his best dramatic performances that evidence the “Sandman” is a whole lot more than comedy royalty.
8. Big Daddy (1999)
While Big Daddy is a comedy, it was the first time that fans got to see another side of Sandler. Sonny, who is a slacker forced to take care of a five-year-old, balances his typical humor with some glimpses of sincerity and heart. While the movie was met with mixed reviews from critics, it was a glimpse of Sandler’s ability to keep the humor tethered to real emotion.
7. Funny People (2009)
In Funny People, the Judd Apatow comedy that co-stars Sandler as George Simmons, a famous comedian with a terminal illness, it is a role that invites him to satirize his own career and explore darker, more vulnerable terrain. George is not universally lovable, but Sandler makes him interesting—a complicated portrait of fame, guilt, and death.
6. Men, Women & Children (2014)
This underappreciated ensemble film has Sandler as Don, a husband caught in the confusion of modern love and technology. While the film itself didn’t shake up the apple cart, his acting is low-key and richly human. Slapstick there ain’t, only a realistic portrayal of frustration, temptation, and longing.
5. Reign Over Me (2007)
In one of his most powerful performances, Sandler stars as Charlie, a man consumed by grief after his loved ones perish on 9/11. Starring alongside Don Cheadle, he delivers a performance that’s both heartbreaking and empathetic. Charlie’s pain is relatable, and Sandler dives into that vulnerability without restraint, making this one of his most emotional pictures.
4. Uncut Gems (2019)
Few acting performances are more nauseating than Sandler’s in Uncut Gems. Playing Howard Ratner, gambler and bad-decision jeweler, he’s charismatic, chaotic, and flat-out exhausting, in the best way possible. The Safdie brothers’ wire-walking drama wouldn’t work without Sandler holding court, mixing desperation with allure. It’s not surprising that many critics thought he should have been Oscar-nominated.
3. Hustle (2022)
Basketball is the showcase of Hustle, but Sandler’s performance as bad-luck scout Stanley Sugerman gives the film its emotional center. He plays it with low-key tenacity and fond niceness, grounding the sports drama of the movie in genuine emotion. It’s a career highlight that receive a SAG award nomination and show once again that he excels beyond comedy.
2. The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)
Pairing with Noah Baumbach, Sandler plays Danny Meyerowitz, the reserved son trying to find his niche in a dysfunctional family. His low-key work is a study in understatement, hushed, low-key, and extremely accessible. Acting alongside Dustin Hoffman and Ben Stiller, Sandler proves he can hold his own in the independent drama ring with the big leagues.
1. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
The film that broke them all. In Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love, Sandler is Barry, a solitary businessman with angry outbursts. It’s a peculiar, beautiful film, and his performance is nothing short of hypnotic, gangly, sensitive, and astonishingly commanding. It got him a Golden Globe nomination and officially confirmed him as something greater than a comedy phenomenon.
The next time someone dismissively refers to Sandler as just the Happy Gilmore guy, remind them of these eight performances. From tragic dramas to compelling thrillers, he’s proven repeatedly that the Sandman’s got range.