# Half-in-the-Bag analysis of Adam Sandler **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255 "2012-06-25T15:47:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/21 "2012-06-26T18:32:56Z")
I think Mike and Jay are asking a bigger question – what is a “movie”, exactly, as opposed to say, a commercial – and suggesting that Adam Sandlar’s productions have crossed over a sort of invisible line – that they aren’t really movies anymore, at least in any traditional sense. Instead, they’ve become “movie-like product-placement cash-generating commercial ventures”. They’re commenting more on how utterly soulless and pointless the whole process has become, and sort of making an “emperor has no clothes” statement by stripping down \*\*Jack and Jill \*\*to it’s most basic elements. In that sense, they’ve gone a bit beyond the purview of a general movie reviewer, who usually confines himself/herself to what’s on the screen. I think their disgust for what they percieve Adam Sandler to be doing drove them to draw a line in the sand. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/22 "2012-06-26T18:47:30Z")
Beside the investors who cares how much the movie cost to make? It’s not like these costs are passed onto ticket prices. If Adam Sandler makes a crappy movie for $15 million a person buying a ticket will pay $10. If Adam Sandler makes the same movie for $90 million the ticket still costs $10. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/23 "2012-06-26T21:42:58Z")
Basically the argument they make seems to boil down to Sandler makes too much money and you should feel outraged about it because his movies are just commercials that you are paying to watch. They completely don’t care whether or not you actually enjoy watching his movies/commercials, they just don’t feel like he deserves it. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/24 "2012-06-26T22:31:13Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Basically the argument they make seems to boil down to Sandler makes too much money and you should feel outraged about it because his movies are just commercials that you are paying to watch. I think the first part is beside the point. Sure, they point out that Sandler makes a lot of money, but the key point is: his movies are just commercials that you are paying to watch. You did a nice job of summarizing there, I wish the author of the article cited in the OP had been as concise and direct. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/25 "2012-06-27T06:28:43Z")
I think they’re arguing that Sandler shouldn’t be allowed to make movies at all since they see little talent. But what would fill that space? Wouldn’t the movie-going public just flock to Chris Kattan or Rob Schneider movies instead? Most TV, movies and music are deadful in my opinion, but they do fabulously well while my favorites gather dust. It’s difficult to declare someone’s taste as bad when I’m the one in the minority. ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/26 "2012-06-27T06:38:42Z")
> [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > Most TV, movies and music are deadful in my opinion, but they do fabulously well while my favorites gather dust. It’s difficult to declare someone’s taste as bad when I’m the one in the minority. Well, they’re obviously right and you’re wrong when [Worthington’s Law](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF8wLg5Asgo) is applied to mass media. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/27 "2012-07-04T12:28:42Z")
[This](http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2012/07/04)comic reminded me of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/28 "2012-07-06T14:17:57Z")
I have a theory on Adam Sandler movies. The quality of the movie is inversely proportional to how many times he talks in that stupid, inane, chalkboard scratching, squeaky kid voice. F\*\*\* It… I take that back. I don’t like any of his movies any more. The last one I enjoyed was Happy Gilmore (who, I might add, had a hot-as-usual Julie Bowen in the cast). ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/29 "2012-07-06T15:07:33Z")
I wish someone could post two consecutive minutes of Adam Sandler performing that are, in the poster’s opinion, tolerable. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/30 "2012-07-06T15:30:21Z")
Performing the role of kindling at Burning Man, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/31 "2012-07-06T15:32:27Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I wish someone could post two consecutive minutes of Adam Sandler performing that are, in the poster’s opinion, tolerable. That is the thing. He can act. Punch Drunk Love and Funny People prove that he knows the other movies are shit. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/32 "2012-07-06T15:53:22Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > That is the thing. He can act. Punch Drunk Love and Funny People prove that he knows the other movies are shit. **Punch-Drunk Love** is one of my favorite movies. He wasn’t bad in **Reign Over Me** , though I didn’t like it enough to watch it more than once. But I can’t stand other movies of his… \*\*Happy Gilmore \*\*was pretty funny though. 😃 **Click** was his attempt to make a movie with some substance and drama, but failed. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/33 "2012-07-06T16:46:12Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > **Click** was his attempt to make a movie with some substance and drama, but failed. _Click_ was his _The Truman Show_. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/34 "2012-07-06T17:05:34Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > _Click_ was his _The Truman Show_. **The Truman Show** was a GREAT movie IMHO. **Click** is not at all comparable. :dubious: edit: Just not even close. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/35 "2012-07-06T17:56:22Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I’ve watched about 25 minutes of this review and I don’t get it. You’ve got a reviewer who hates Adam Sandler films (but also hasn’t bothered watching any of his films) reviewing this film and saying he hated it. No kidding? But he reviews it by making a list of all the shitty things that \*could \*be in a shitty movie and says “well, I was wrong. None of these shitty things were in this shitty movie. But the movie was still shitty.” I was having the same reaction at the beginning. Like “wait, you’re saying his avoidance of all these cliches is a _bad_ thing?”. But it becomes obvious that the argument is about _why_ the movie avoids the cliches - not because of artistic integrity but to save money. It wouldn’t be worth the time if this was simply another one of 1000s of formula comedies. The review suggests something quite more nefarious at work. I’m not sure yet if that is the accurate way to look at it, but I found the review very interesting to say the least. It reminds me a bit of the way people have ripped on Grace Slick for “We Built this City on Rock and Roll”. No one ever claims that rock musicians don’t want to sell records, or make money. But having an artistic vision, or expressing something that you hope people will appreciate enough to buy is one thing. That song seemed such an obvious contrivance of corporate executives, and from a performer who was the epitome of the counter culture. If the reviewers of this film are correct, there is a line that was crossed. They’re not saying it was anything illegal, and they’re not asking for legislation to stop it. But it’s ugly. And it should be called out by critics. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/36 "2012-07-07T14:57:29Z")
Hollywood uses Creative Accounting practices. _There’s_ a bombshell. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/37 "2012-07-07T15:04:25Z")
> [@lawoot](#): > > Hollywood uses Creative Accounting practices. _There’s_ a bombshell. :rolleyes: If that’s all you got from the thread, you did not read it very carefully. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/38 "2012-07-08T03:27:12Z")
When did we get so many Randians on the Dope? The fact that people are willing to pay money for something has nothing to do with whether it is nefarious or not. People willingly pay for a lot of scams, and even sometimes wind up feeling happy they did so. It’s still a scam. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/39 "2012-07-08T04:01:48Z")
I slogged about 22 minutes of that review before I had to quit. Adam Sandler may be a tool and his movies pure trash, but two are just unbearably pretentious snots. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255/40 "2012-07-08T08:07:29Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > When did we get so many Randians on the Dope? The fact that people are willing to pay money for something has nothing to do with whether it is nefarious or not. People willingly pay for a lot of scams, and even sometimes wind up feeling happy they did so. It’s still a scam. That’s exactly what Ayn Rand would think too. The whole book with the architect dude is basically about that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-in-the-bag-analysis-of-adam-sandler/626255.md?page=3)