Adam Sandler Reveals the One Movie He Loves More Than Any Other
Adam Sandler has built a career that does not fit into just one box. For years, he was known mainly for silly comedies that dominated the 1990s. More recently, he has surprised a lot of people by taking on serious roles and doing them extremely well.
One of his most talked-about performances came in 2019 with Uncut Gems. In that movie, Sandler plays a stressed-out jewelry dealer drowning in debt and bad choices. His character is loud, messy, and constantly on edge, and many critics praised how real and intense the performance felt. The role helped change how people looked at him as an actor.
Even with all the praise for his dramatic work, Sandler is still closely tied to the comedies that made him famous. Movies like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore helped launch his production company, Happy Madison. Through it, he continues to make films with close friends he has worked with for decades. Comedy is still a big part of who he is.
That is why some fans were surprised when Sandler shared his favorite movie of all time. In the book You Gotta See This, where different artists talk about the films they love most, Sandler revealed that his top pick is the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. He openly said it is an easy choice for him, even if it sounds unexpected coming from a comedian.
He joked that people assume his mother pushes him to watch the movie, but the truth is the opposite. He is usually the one asking her to sit down and watch it with him. He also talked about loving the characters as a kid, especially Dorothy and the Scarecrow. Sandler said he always felt the Scarecrow already had a heart from the very start.
While Sandler’s own movies rarely explore fantasy worlds like Oz, longtime fans have noticed small nods to the film in his work. One example is the musical style used in Little Nicky, which clearly draws inspiration from classic movie scores.
Right now, Sandler is having a very busy and successful time in his career. He recently earned strong reviews for Jay Kelly, a Netflix dramedy directed by Noah Baumbach that premiered in late 2025. In the film, he plays the loyal manager of a declining movie star played by George Clooney. The role brought him major awards attention, including a Best Supporting Actor win at the Astra Film Awards earlier this year.
He is also set to receive the Maltin Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival this week. On top of that, he is preparing to start filming Grown Ups 3 in Vancouver, reuniting him with Kevin James, Chris Rock, and David Spade after the huge streaming success of Happy Gilmore 2.
Fans will also be able to see him live on stage this spring. Sandler is headlining the You’re My Best Friend stand-up tour, which includes a big appearance at the Hollywood Bowl during the Night of Too Many Stars charity event in May.
Which of Adam Sandler’s serious performances do you think stands out the most? Share your thoughts in the comments.
