Adam Sandler earned strong reviews for his performance in Netflix’s “Hustle” earlier this year, but such acclaim is few and far between in the comedian’s filmography. For every “Hustle” or “Uncut Gems,” there’s an onslaught of comedies like “Murder Mystery,” “Hubie Halloween,” “The Ridiculous 6,” “Blended” and more. Film critics often have their knives out for Sandler, especially when it comes to his non-“Hustle” Netflix comedies, and he recently admitted to AARP that negative reviews can “sometimes” sting.
“Mostly because I invite all these amazing people I care about to make movies with me,” Sandler said, “and I wish they didn’t have to read shit about whatever we’ve made.”
With that said, Sandler added that “I don’t get too shook up” when it comes to critics bashing his movies.
“I always remember something my father said,” Sandler continued. “He was a tough bastard. He went through ups and downs in his life, like not having work for a year or two and not telling us. I recall one time that something didn’t go right for me. I bombed onstage or didn’t get an audition. I was upset and probably embarrassed. And he said, ‘Adam, you can’t always be happy. People aren’t always going to like you. You’re going to fail.’ I said, ‘But I just want to be happy, man. I don’t want all that other crap.’ He said, ‘You won’t actually know you’re happy if you don’t feel that other stuff.’”
Sandler will return to his usual Netflix comedy schtick by reuniting with Jennifer Aniston for the streamer’s “Murder Mystery 2.” The sequel is likely to release in 2023. Rumor has it Sandler is also re-teaming with his “Uncut Gems” directors Josh and Benny Safdie for a new movie.