Adam Sandler’s Oscar nomination never materialized for his ridiculous and amazing performance in Uncut Gems, but the popular funnyman has still been at his share of awards shows and recognition dinners this season. Tonight was the Independent Spirit Awards which only considers films made for $22.5M or less. It was a good night for Uncut Gems.
Adam Sandler picked up a win for Best Actor. The Safdie Brothers won Best Director, and the film was also honored for Best Editing. Of the three prizes, it’ll be Sandler’s everyone is talking about tomorrow, both because he’s the biggest name and because he gave a dynamite acceptance speech that’ll be replayed and referenced for awhile. You can watch it in all its glory below. Beware it contains a lot of foul language in the form of f-words.
See, this is everything that’s great about Adam Sandler. It starts out with goofy voices for no apparent reason whatsoever. At first you kinda hate it, but after awhile, it just sort of grows on you, you go with it and eventually you like it. And then at the end there’s enough heart and real emotion to make you feel something. Just like in most of his movies, there’s a touching loyalty in the speech too.
Just when you think he’s going to walk off the stage, Sandler pauses to thank everyone who has worked with him on his comedy movies over the years. That might not sound like a big deal, but the former SNL star has worked with the same cast of characters over and over again for decades. Even when reviews have sometimes implored him to mix things up, he’s found parts for his friends and stood by them, and here, he makes it clear it’s those movies that gave him the opportunity to do this.
There are so many great parts to the speech, but I’m also a big fan of the section where he reframes the plots of some of his early career comedies so they sound like they could have been Independent Spirit Award nominees. Here’s that portion in text in case you didn’t watch the video…
In all seriousness, independent films have been a big part of the Adam Sandler ecosystem. From my first film, a fearless look in the American education system through the eyes of a privileged sociopath by the name of Billy Fucking Madison, to my searing exploration of American college foosball and its manipulation of socially challenged athletes like the Mr. Bobby Boucher. I have tried to sell my truths with a truly independent spirit, while also cashing some truly disturbingly large paychecks.
I don’t know what the perfect ratio of Adam Sandler comedies to dramatic roles with directors outside the Sandler ecosystem I’d like to see. I definitely don’t want to see him abandon stupid comedy movies for all stuff like this. Uncut Gems-type movies are the perfect occasional contrast. Maybe 2 to 1. If every third year, we could get a Sandler critical darling, I think we’d all love it.
Here's to hoping he does pick up that Oscar nomination someday even if some Academy voters wouldn't like it.
