Adam Sandler is bringing his new comedy tour to Toronto this weekend, and we’ve put together a list of his most iconic films to watch before the big show.
Known for his sassy humour and always rocking long basketball shorts, Sandler is internationally known for his quirky roles as an actor, producer, writer and musician.
The American star is about to hit the 6ix this weekend with his You’re My Best Friend tour, which will take over Scotiabank Arena for only one night, this Sunday, Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The tour kicked off on Sept. 5 in Jacksonville, Florida, and is set to conclude on Nov. 1 in Las Vegas. Sunday’s show is the only date in Canada.
Sandler was last touring in Toronto on Nov. 7, 2023, with his The I Missed You tour, which also took place in Scotiabank Arena.
Ahead of his visit, we’ve prepared a list of some of his best-known films to perhaps watch ahead of his stand-up special.
Billy Madison (1995)
In this heartfelt comedy, Sandler appears as Billy Madison, a 27-year-old immature man, who grew up spoiled by his father’s fortune, but faces his inheritance being taken away after his father threatens to hand over his company to his vice president. Madison then has to prove himself by completing Grades 1 to 12 in a matter of weeks, after his father revealed he had previously bribed teachers to allow him to complete school.
Happy Gilmore (1996)
This is one of the most well known movies by the actor. In this film, Sandler plays Happy Gilmore, who finds that he has a talent for golf and joins a tournament to try to raise money for his grandmother who is close to being evicted. Gilmore ends up becoming a golf star, because of his talent and charming personality.
This year, Sandler reprised his iconic role for Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix. This time around, the character makes a comeback to his golf adventures, in an attempt to send his daughter to a renowned ballet school abroad.
The Wedding Singer (1998)
In this 90s romantic comedy, Sandler stars as Robbie Hart, a wedding singer who meets Julia (Drew Barrymore) during one of his shows, and falls in love with her, making both rethink their previous engagements.
Big Daddy (1999)
In Big Daddy, Sandler plays 32-year-old law graduate Sonny Koufax, an irresponsible and lazy man who refuses to take on adult responsibilities. But his carefree life changes completely after he adopts a five-year-old boy to impress his new girlfriend Layla (Joey Lauren Adams), and changes his lifestyle to become a more responsible caregiver.
Mr. Deeds (2002)
In this comedy, Longfellow Deeds (Sandler) runs a pizzeria in a small town in New Hampshire, when he suddenly inherits a $40-billion fortune from a distant relative who froze to death while climbing Mount Everest, significantly changing the man’s simple life.
50 First Dates (2004)
This might be one of the cutest 2000s rom coms, where Sandler plays Henry, a vet who falls in love with Lucy (Drew Barrymore), but soon finds out that she has a rare short-term memory loss condition that keeps her from remembering things past one day. He then has to get past her protective family and friends, and make her fall in love with him every day.
Click (2006)
This emotional story is both funny and lesson-teaching, addressing the importance of living in the present. In this story, family man Michael Newman (Sandler) gets access to a curious universal remote that allows him to control everything around him, including pausing moments, skipping time, and even adjusting the volume of those around him. But the invention soon becomes dangerous, once he realizes that the remote took too much control of his life and led him to miss important moments with his family.
Grown Ups (2010)
Grown Ups follows the friendship of five friends who used to play on the same basketball team at school, and get reunited as adults after attending their old coach’s funeral. But now, their adventures are accompanied by their grown-up lives and responsibilities, including careers, partners and children.
Murder Mystery (2019)
In this mysterious action combined with a touch of humour, Sandler plays Nick, a police officer, who spontaneously gets invited to a billionaire’s yacht party with his wife Audrey (Jennifer Aniston), but gets implicated in the man’s murder. In need to prove their innocence, the couple follows the clues to find the real murderer.
Hustle (2022)
This one is for the basketball fans! In this movie, Sandler plays Stanley Sugerman, an international basketball scout for the NBA Philadelphia 76ers. In one of his travels, Sugerman finds an incredible unknown talent, and has to fight for the team’s approval of the newly-discovered star.
