Top 10 Worst Adam Sandler Movies

Our society tries to purport itself as progressive and politically correct; but apparently Adam Sandler and Kevin James didn’t get that memo, because homophobia still serves as a recurring punch line in this film. Sure, they’re trying to be ironic about it, but if this is a satirical lesson on how not to discriminate, it’s condescending at best. The film is about a couple of prejudiced firefighters who learn lessons of tolerance by pretending to be gay, and Adam Sandler is the last man you wanna be patronized by.

It’s an endearing movie about learning to value your life and the time you’re given, told through the fantasy of one man who apparently able to control everything around him with a handheld device. What could possibly ruin this one? Well, fart jokes, sex jokes, and crotch-kicks to start. But it’s also painfully sappy, which doesn’t mesh well with the toilet humor. Actually, there’s a pattern in Sandler comedies that’s slightly worse than his acting immature and irresponsible, and it’s treating the audience as if they are.

This is a diluted remake, based on a movie that was based on a play, that’s reduced to what gets spit out of Hollywood’s Sandler grinder. He plays a single man pretending to be going through a divorce, in order to sustain a lie with his latest love-interest. But the characters are just that: characters. They’re barely developed and don’t really say or do anything particularly funny or interesting… they’re just there. It gets pretty boring pretty quickly and falls flat, despite the A-list stars and pretty ladies.

You couldn’t ask for a more star-studded cast, but Adam Sandler drags them all to hell with this movie. The only thing worse than Sandler’s consistent portrayals of characters with what we’ll politely refer to as “childlike innocence,” is seeing him actually portraying a child. But the celebrity cameos are just one gimmick of many in this convoluted film about Satan’s angsty son, his family drama, and the threat to our earth realm.

This time Adam Sandler is subjecting children to his travesties with a story about tall tales coming true. And frankly, that kinda makes sense, since even his good movies have pretty much all been juvenile. We’re encouraged to believe that this family movie, Sandler’s first family-friendly flick actually, will warm our hearts with its childlike wonder and the power of imagination; but there are too many low-brow Sandler-isms to engage us it emotionally… Like this CGI guinea pig that punctuates much more of the dialogue than necessary.

Sandler comes close to admitting he’s acting immature by starring in this film about middle-aged dudes who used to play high-school basketball together, that relive their golden years for one weekend. It’s predictable and lazy, using SNL alumni to spout stale ‘fat and old’ gags. A few decades too late to their own party, the film depends on B-list celebrities to riff off one another in place of an actual story. Critics panned it heavily, but viewers didn’t, as it was a box-office success that prompted a sequel – which, spoiler alert – you’ll see soon.

Easily his most shameless film, Sandler and his Happy Madison production house leave no raunchy, vulgar, desperate stone unturned when it comes to laughs. We’re well aware by now that toilet humor is his bread and butter, and in this one it’s lathered on as thick as hair gel. “Zohan” is trying to be a counter-terrorism satire about an Israeli Mossad agent with hairdressing dreams; but to be competent in this context, it needs to be funny. This film is not, though we’d hazard a guess that Sandler fans were satisfied.

Incest, stat-rape and masturbation jokes are some of the classy ways this film hopes to produce its chuckles. This one isn’t just bad because it’s unfunny and crude; it’s bad because it’s offensively unfunny and crude. However, we’ll award originality points to Sandler’s unlikeable, ‘irresponsible father’ protagonist. But it’s R-rated for good reason: they go for broke with the white-trash stereotypes, profanity, and substance abuse, and broke is exactly where it gets them.

With most sequels, an attempt is made to improve and expand on the content of the original film. This one, about Sandler’s character moving to his hometown for nostalgia’s sake, is more of the same juvenile giggles that are to be expected from a film with an ironic title like this. There is some consolation to be found in new characters and cameos, making it more of an ensemble comedy; but the story is still missing, and that’s kind of important.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are some honorable – or in this case dishonorable – mentions:
- “Anger Management” (2003)
- “Going Overboard” (1989)
- “Blended” (2014)
- “Eight Crazy Nights” (2002)

Things we never needed to see include: Adam Sandler in drag, but alas Hollywood disagreed. Sandler throws on a dress to be as annoying as possible beside the co-star he also plays, but he succeeds mostly at annoying his audience. Character depth aside, the ‘highlights’ of “Jack and Jill” include chimichanga diarrhea, Hispanic stereotypes, fart jokes and overuse of product placement. After watching the movie widely considered one of the worst ever, we’re left with nothing but burning questions about this production, like “What is Al Pacino doing here?”

Do you agree with our list? Which Adam Sandler movie did you simply not enjoy? For more Top 10s every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.