Adam Sandler returns for his first comedy special in years with Netflix’s Adam Sandler: Love You. The legendary actor and comedian gave an incredible and versatile 1-hour performance in Glendale, California on a set that was made to look like a particularly unique theater. Adam Sandler: Love You is directed by Josh Safdie, one half of the already iconic Safdie Brothers directing duo that brought to life the gritty Robert Pattinson crime thriller Good Time and one of Sandler’s all-time great dramatic performances in Uncut Gems. The Sandler special was released exclusively on Netflix on August 27, 2024.
While Sandler is known for his iconic movie lines, his new Netflix special Love You reminds modern audiences just how much natural stage presence and charisma he has in front of a live audience as well. What’s most impressive about Adam Sandler: Love You is how he is able to fully display his musical talents and expertise that were initially introduced back in classic Saturday Night Live skits such as “The Chanukah Song”. Sandler sings in various voices, alternates between several pre-tuned acoustic and electric guitars, and even makes sure to “slap-ah da base” in one of his funniest musical skits in Love You.
The legacy and impact of Sandler’s historic career, as well as the celebration of who he has always been as a person in both public and private life, make up the heart and soul of Adam Sandler: Love You. Sandler’s nonstop energy keeps the audience engaged and mostly in awe and his snappy delivery and inventive comedy demonstrate that it had yet to miss a beat in his nearly 35-year career in entertainment. While most of the greatest stand-up comedy specials capture a star in the making or a practicing comedian’s rise to fame, Adam Sandler: Love You offers a commemorative experience that pays tribute to how and who Sandler has inspired.
10 “I Accidentally Sent It To Al Pacino & He Sent Me 2 Back.”
Occurs around the 57-minute mark
It wouldn’t truly be an Adam Sandler comedy special if he didn’t name-drop a few fellow legends, one of them being legendary actor Al Pacino. In one of his final bits in Netflix’s Adam Sandler: Love You special, Sandler got the audience involved by encouraging them to howl like wolves after every “scary thing” he confessed over the microphone. One of these things that scared Sandler was the fact that he tried to send his wife a sensual photo of a private region but accidentally sent it to Al Pacino, which got a big laugh from the audience. Sandler wasn’t done yet, however, adding that Pacino returned the favor by sending two pics of his own.
9 “She’ll Be Back In Daddy’s Car Seat Again.”
Occurs around the 46-minute mark
Sandler put on a clinic on how to use extended music setups and unexpected winding narrative journeys to arrive at hilarious punchlines in Netflix’s Adam Sandler: Love You special. In one of Sandler’s more “sad” musical numbers, he sings a ballad from the perspective of a dad whose teenage daughter gets her driver’s license and no longer needs to rely on him for transportation. He sings, “These days she doesn’t need my help/ getting into bed/ She doesn’t need me to tuck her in.” While his musical bit touches on very real sentiments of having a child become an adult, he lands on the hilarious setup that if he buys her beer and she gets a DUI, “she’ll be back in daddy’s car seat again.”
8 “I Am Clinically Depressed.”
Occurs around the 26-minute mark
While some of Sandler’s musical bits in Netflix’s Adam Sandler: Love You special bordered on 8-10 minutes in length, several of them also lasted less than a minute. One of his punchier numbers started with a mundane recollection of a fictional person’s daily routine. Part of the reason why it was so funny was because of how quickly he moved from one bit to the next, a testament to the sharp pace and great momentum of the entire special. Sandler sings, “Turn on my TV/ Watch Jerry Maguire/ I’ve seen it before/ But I’ll watch it again” before arriving at “Pretty good day/ Pretty good life/ I am clinically depressed” which gets a big laugh from the audience.
7 “Sweetheart, I Was Just Having Fun With My Friend.”
Occurs around the 53-minute mark
In his most exhaustive extended joke, Sandler starts by regretfully leaving a party with a balloon that he doesn’t want but can’t let go of because it’s bad for the environment. He is able to “accidentally” let go of the balloon as he opens his car door pretending that it was a mistake. When the audience thinks the joke ends there, they really have no idea what they’re in for as Sandler creates a hilarious scenario in which the balloon comes to visit him at his house to thank him for accomplishing one of its fantasies, which was flying high in the air. When Sandler asks what the balloon’s other fantasy is, the special goes down a hilarious rabbit hole that ends with Sandler’s perfectly timed helium-filled punchline.
6 “He Changed, Sandman.”
Occurs around the 6-minute mark
Sandler’s very first joke in Netflix’s Adam Sandler: Love You special was one of his best. He paints a picture of a disgruntled fan coming over to him as he’s eating grapes and telling him that he’s changed for the worse due to his wealth and fame. Sandler brushes him off and says he hasn’t changed, he’s always loved eating grapes, and the fan eventually walks away dissatisfied. Sandler pulls a hilarious twist by introducing another character in the skit, a person who is feeding him the grapes, which completely catches the audience off guard and sets the tone for the rest of the highly imaginative and story-focused special.
5 “And It’s Like Disneyland Never Happened.”
Occurs around the 23-minute mark
In another one of Sandler’s inventive and hilarious musical bits, the comedian sings about a father taking his family on a vacation to Disneyland. He sings, “Greatest time of our kids’ life/ What a magical moment for me and my wife/ Then I miss our exit and I scream “F***ing C***/ And it’s like Disneyland never happened!” This turns out to be one of the best examples of Sandler’s comedy seen throughout Netflix’s Adam Sandler: Love You special, which sets up either a family-friendly or lighthearted tone and completely turns it on its head with a sudden showing of vulgarity or something of that nature. This short but sweet joke is quintessential of Sandler’s entire act.
4 “My Sister’s Got An Ugly New Boyfriend!”
Occurs around the 14-minute mark
Sandler once again sets up a beautiful and happy-go-lucky scenario only to turn it on its head in a tonally shifting and hilariously crafted punchline. He sings along with the piano in the background, “She’s the happiest she’s been in years/ He puts a big smile on her face/ He’s got a good job and me and my parents love the dude“, setting up what seems to be a picture-perfect scenario for a brother towards his sister who has found a great partner. He continues, “You can tell that he’s gonna be faithful/ The whole family is happy as hell” before exclaiming, “My sister’s got an ugly new boyfriend!” to a roar of laughter and applause.
3 “Thank God, It’s Twizzlers.”
Occurs around the 36-minute mark
Sandler assumes a funkadelic alter-ego once he puts on some whacky sunglasses and a Yankees flat brim and picks up his base guitar. Sandler is just as smooth on the bass as he is on the guitar and quickly breaks it down into a series of hilarious depictions of people such as “Old guy with a kid“, “Grandma in yoga pants“, and “Guy with a backpack at the movies“. The “guy with a backpack at the movies” makes Sandler unable to “focus on what Spider-Man’s doing” in one of his darkest yet funniest jokes. He continues, “Every time he moves I s**t myself” before ending the bit on “Pulls s**t out, thank god it’s Twizzlers.”
2 “Every Day I’m Mutterin’ Under My Breath.”
Occurs around the 18-minute mark
Early on in Netflix’s Adam Sandler: Love You special, Sandler shows off his impressive skills on the acoustic guitar with an energetic live solo before diving into a brilliant Western-themed song about a guy who is constantly muttering under his breath. Like many of Sandler’s jokes in the comedy special, he’s able to capitalize on a true or familiar feeling or scenario that connects with audiences and is able to carry them from setup to punchline every time, showing just how effortlessly masterful he continues to be at his craft. Sandler also incorporates his own whip and horse sound effects to create what is arguably the most captivating, well-written, and hilarious musical number that even leaves him breaking character and laughing a few times.
1 “WTF I’m Not Ben Stiller.” “My Bad!”
Occurs around the 32-minute mark
One of the longest and wildest jokes in Netflix’s Adam Sandler: Love You special starts with the premise of a stranger asking Sandler to watch his bag at the airport while he went to the bathroom. Sandler makes it seem easy in his delivery but there are actually several subplots going on in the extended bit, which doesn’t involve any music but is easily one of the most memorable moments in the new special. Sandler discovers that there is a genie in the suitcase and has a hilarious encounter trying to determine his three wishes only to realize that the stranger has a different set of wishes in mind. It’s one of the best examples of Sandler’s masterful comedic storytelling abilities and is a clear highlight of Adam Sandler: Love You.
