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Every Single Adam Sandler Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best

Or: worst to least worst.

Headshot of Esquire EditorsBy Esquire Editors
Movie, Poster, Collage, Art, Photography, Photomontage,
Netflix/Columbia Pictures/Paramount Pictures

Love him or hate him, you have to admit: Adam Sandler has the moronic bro-comedy market cornered. Here, we rank every single one of his movies (45!) from the truly terrible to the terrible-but-comfortable.

1

45. The Ridiculous 6

Movie, Poster, Games, Pc game,
Netflix

Role: Tommy "White Knife" Stockburn

Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%

If you're a fan of westerns but wish they had more casual racism, then here's a movie for you. The rest of us will pass.

2

44. Jack and Jill

Facial expression, Movie, Poster, Chin, Forehead, Advertising, Jaw, Font, Smile, Comedy,
Columbia Pictures

Role: Jack Sadelstein / Jill Sadelstein

Rotten Tomatoes score: 3%

Adam Sandler, as a man, is pretty insufferable. Now, throw on a wig, some makeup, and his incredibly broad concepts of femininity and womanhood, and you get what is possibly a masterclass in misogyny!

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3

43. Zookeeper

Movie, Poster, Advertising, Footwear, Comedy, Fun, Photography,
Columbia Pictures

Role: Donald the Capuchin Monkey

Rotten Tomatoes score: 14%

Night at the Museum, but with a zoo—and Adam Sandler is a monkey.

4

42. The Do-Over

Poster, Movie, Summer, Tree, Vacation, Album cover, Plant, Advertising, Happy,
Netflix

Role: Max Kessler

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

They need a do-over on The Do-Over to try to make a good movie. And this crappy pun is funnier than this entire film.

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5

41. Mixed Nuts

Poster, Movie, Tie, Bow tie, Album cover, Advertising, Photo caption, Magazine,
TriStar Pictures

Role: Louie

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

This deserves to be on here mostly because Adam Sandler is also in the worst Steve Martin movie and the worst Nora Ephron movie.

6

40. Going Overboard

People on beach, Vacation, Fun, Summer, Water, Leisure, Muscle, Tourism, board short, Spring break,
L.A. Dreams Productions

Role: Schecky Moskowitz

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

Adam Sandler's first starring role in a movie! What happens when you get trapped on a cruise ship with Adam Sandler?

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7

39. Shakes the Clown

Vintage advertisement,
IRS Media

Role: Dink the Clown

Rotten Tomatoes score: 43%

This is obviously not "an Adam Sandler film," but rather "a Bobcat Goldthwait film," which is perhaps an equally dubious description.

8

38. Grown Ups 2

Fun, Poster, Jumping, Happy, Friendship, Leisure, Recreation, Dancer, Movie, World,
Columbia Pictures

Role: Leonard "Lenny" Feder

Rotten Tomatoes score: 8%

Sometimes, Adam Sandler just wants to take a long vacation with a few old comedy friends and get paid millions for it. This was another one of those times.

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9

37. The Animal

Movie, Poster, Forehead, Album cover, Photo caption,
Revolution Studios

Role: Townie

Rotten Tomatoes score: 30%

Adam Sandler hanger-on Rob Schneider fronts this pretty dumb movie in which he receives animal organ transplants after a car accident. He brought along his buddy Sandler for the ride, giving him a tiny (but credited!) cameo.

10

36. Coneheads

Movie, Poster, Photo caption,
Paramount Pictures

Role: Carmine Weiner

Rotten Tomatoes score: 35%

You can't deny that "Carmine Weiner" is a very Adam Sandler Character Name.

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11

35. Pixels

Movie, Poster, Fun, Musical, Photography, World, Cool, Album cover, Animated cartoon, Comedy,
Columbia Pictures

Role: Sam Brenner

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

Why make a movie about video game nostalgia but make all the beloved video game characters bad guys? Also Peter Dinklage's wig is a sin.

12

34. Blended

Movie, Poster, Book cover, Romance, Comedy,
Gulfstream Pictures

Role: Jim Friedman

Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%

Here's 50 First Dates in Africa.

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13

33. Bulletproof

Poster, Album cover, Movie, Action film, Photo caption,
Universal Pictures

Role: Archie Moses

Rotten Tomatoes score: 8%

There's actually a pretty great quote from director Ernest Dickerson about this movie: "There's a movie I did a couple years ago called Bulletproof. I'd like to just erase that whole experience."

14

32. The Cobbler

Poster, Movie, Advertising, Real estate, Font, Architecture, Photography, City, Photo caption,
Voltage Pictures

Role: Max Simkin

Rotten Tomatoes score: 10%

This is not, in fact, about the popular dessert, but rather about a shoemaker who magically transforms into people when he puts on their footwear. This allows Sandler to get into a number of problematic situations, including becoming one of his neighbors so he can creep on the man's attractive girlfriend.

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15

31. Grown Ups

Movie, Poster, Fun, Leisure, Advertising, Water park, Photography, Comedy, Tourism, Album cover,
Columbia Pictures

Role: Leonard "Lenny" Feder

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

Sometimes, Adam Sandler just wants to take a long vacation with a few old comedy friends and get paid millions for it. This was one of those times.

16

30. Bedtime Stories

Poster, Adaptation, Organism, Leisure, Sky, Summer, Book cover, Fun, Illustration, Happy,
Disney

Role: Skeeter Bronson

Rotten Tomatoes score: 27%

Sandler takes a swing at a family comedy, in a Happy Madison/Disney co-production. Despite bad reviews, the film went on to make a fortune and expose children to Russell Brand.

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17

29. The Week Of

Poster, White-collar worker, Movie, Advertising, Suit, Formal wear, Comedy, Businessperson,
Netflix

Role: Kenny Lustig

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

If you've ever been in wedding, you know that the long week or planning before the ceremony is only worth it because there will be an open bar at the end of the whole thing. You can drink while you watch this one, but you'll have to pay for your own booze.

18

28. Just Go With It

Fun, Vacation, Poster, Summer, Leisure, Movie, Advertising, Sky, Sitting, Comedy,
Columbia Pictures

Role: Dr. Daniel Leroy "Danny" Maccabee III

Rotten Tomatoes score: 19%

Another in the long line of rom-coms Sandler made (this time with Jennifer Aniston), but this one has the added bonus of...Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman? (Seriously.)

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19

27. That's My Boy

Collar, Coat, Outerwear, Formal wear, Suit trousers, Blazer, Love, Photo caption, Lawn, Poster,
Columbia Pictures

Role: Donald "Donny" Berger

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Sandler pairs with Andy Samberg for this multi-generational comic mess—which, we hope, taught Samberg not to follow in the footsteps of his fellow SNL alum.

20

26. Little Nicky

Poster, Movie, Advertising, Album cover,
New Line Cinema

Role: Nicky

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

The first of Sandler's box office failures, this one features him as the son of the Devil, with a speech impediment and Kris Jenner's haircut.

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