Most of the time, actors try to be humble around awards season, but Sandler had no problem criticizing the Academy for the snub.
Adam Sandler has had more ups and downs than just about any other actor over the past twenty-some-odd years. He's made some genuine comedy classics ("Happy Gilmour," "Billy Madison," "The Wedding Singer").
He's taken a turn for the serious with strong results ("Punch Drunk Love," "Funny People," "Spanglish).
He's made some movies that may not be perfect, but you know you end up watching the whole thing when they pop up on cable on a lazy Sunday ("50 First Dates," "The Waterboy," "Big Daddy").
He has also made some down-right awful films ("That's My Boy," "Jack and Jill," any of the "Grown Ups" films).
Recently, his turn as a jeweler with a serious gambling problem in "Uncut Gems" is without a doubt his most stunning performance. Sandler's brilliance is that he somehow turn the seedy, lying, cheating, gambling-addicted Howard Ratner into a sympathetic character.
Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times says "It might just be the best dramatic performance by an actor in all of 2019. It's certainly deserving of an Oscar nod."
"Sandler is so good, so committed and so watchable that, despite everything — Howard's irrationality, a rogue's gallery of unpleasant characters, the foreboding of a bad, bad end — you can't take your eyes off the screen, which Sandler seldom vacates," Michael O'Sullivan of The Washington Post notes.
However, Adam Sandler didn't get the best actor nomination from the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences. Joaquin Phoenix would go on to win Sunday night for his over-the-top performance in the gritty-for-the-sake-of-being-gritty (and not much else) "The Joker."
Sandler did win a host of awards for the performance including Best Actor from the National Board of Review and Best Male Lead at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
Most of the time, actors try to be humble around award season, but Sandler has had no problem criticizing the Academy for the perceived snub.
He gave the Academy both barrels on Saturday at the Film Independent Spirit Awards when he accepted the Best Male lead Award.
He delivered his speech in the grating and much maligned "Adam Sandler voice" and took a shot at the Academy, likening the snubbing his failure to win Best Looking in high school.
"A few, you know, a few weeks back, when I was quote-unquote snubbed by the Academy, it reminded of when I briefly attended high school and was overlooked for the coveted yearbook superlative category 'Best Looking.' That accolade was given to a jean-jacket-wearing featherhead douchebag by the name of Skipper Jenkins.
But my classmates did honor me with the allegedly less-prestigious designation of 'Best Personality.' And tonight, as I look around this room, I realize, the Independent Spirit Awards are the Best Personality awards of Hollywood. So let all those featherhead douchebag motherfuckers get their Oscars tomorrow night! Their handsome good looks will fade in time, while our independent personalities will shine on forever!"
Here's the entire speech.
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