Adam Sandler has been a legitimate movie star — a legitimate box office attraction — since his first hit “Billy Madison” was released way back in 1995. That’s 20 years. That’s longer than critical darling Bill Murray, longer than critical darling George Clooney, longer than Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, and longer than Robin Williams, Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, and Jim Carrey.
For the past few years, with the release of every new Sandler film, we hear the critical-class cries of how Sandler’s career will finally be put down for good. This, despite the fact that Sandler’s movies still make more money than that of critical dahling Tina Fey, and are on par with leftists-in-good-standing Will Ferrell and Melissa McCarthy.
Is Sandler still the box office powerhouse he was 15 years ago?
Who is?
Are Sandler’s movies as good as they were 10 years ago?
Whose are?
Other than John Wayne and Clint Eastwood and, yes, Tom Cruise, nobody stays on top for 10 years, much less 20. The fact that Sandler can still open a movie after 20 years is a huge accomplishment — almost unprecedented, and he has done so again with this weekend’s “Pixels” — a pretty solid $24 million opening.
That’s only $6 million less than “Trainwreck’s” opening last weekend, a film riding a massive wave of free media publicity and hailed as a massive hit and the arrival of a new movie star, Ms. Amy Schumer.
Does anyone think that in 2035 Amy Schumer will still be able to open a film?
Sandler doesn’t make movies for critics. He makes movies for his fans. And as Deadline points out, unlike most film comedies, his translate well overseas.
Watching these persistent attacks on Sandler remind me of the attacks on current-Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump. The reason their respective critics keep stepping on a rake is because their snobbiness has so assured them that what continues to happen could never happen.
It’s like a real-life Adam Sandler movie where the slobs keep beating the snobs.
A whole lot more rural people like myself have spent some real time in a big city than the other way around.
The real provincials are urbanites.
Bubble-Dumb is no way to go through life, y’all.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC