The world of Adam Sandler is one that is defined by a take-it-easy ballad. For the most part, he spends his time making silly, childish comedies with his best friends on vacation in beautiful locations. Every now and then, though, he turns up his undeniable acting chops for an unforgettable performance.
As this seems to promise, the filmography of Sandler is filled with myriad memorable characters. There are iconic comedy figures and unforgettable dramatic personas embodied by the Sandman himself. With the promise of a Sandler-Verse on the way, the heroism and villainy of Sandler's menagerie of characters must be called into question.
Longfellow Deeds
Considering Mr. Deeds is based off the Frank Capra and Gary Cooper classic from the 1930s, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, it's no surprise that Sandler's Longfellow Deeds is his most heroic character.
Yet, it's not the top-ranking character on this list solely because of the myriad accomplishments Longfellow enjoys over the course of the movie. It's that he is always a nice person who earns his keep, rather than being gifted an undeserved reward. There is heroism in the quieter personas like these.
Bobby Boucher
While Bobby Boucher did enjoy the physicality of a football game, his heroism never came in the form of brute force or being on the attack. Instead, he shared the kindness in his heart with the world, just as Longfellow Deeds tended to do.
That's what puts Bobby Boucher near the top of the list. Sandler's hero of The Waterboy is a testament to the greatness within all of us, but he ranks just slightly lower than Longfellow because he doesn't always know he's being a hero.
Hubie Dubois
Conversely, Hubie Dubois, the subject of Hubie Halloween, is an extremely heroic character and he knows it. It just so happens that the reason for this known heroism is because characters are telling him he's a hero every three seconds.
It's important to reaffirm this notion in the face of Hubie's persistent bullies. Ultimately, Hubie does manage to save both Halloween and the lives of those who tormented him. If that's heroism, then what else could be?
Lenny Feder
Similar to Hubie, Lenny Feder of Grown Ups fame takes mercy on his rivals and decides to be the bigger person for the greater good, even though no one asked him to be that. That's what happens when he shanks his famous bank shot.
At the end of Grown Ups, even though Lenny's team loses a rematch game, it is a pivotal moment that makes Colin Quinn's team's family proud of them. Sometimes, heroism is present even when other characters don't realize it.
Henry Roth
rom-com between him and Drew Barrymore. The character of Henry Roth is a major reason for this.
He starts out as a charming, sleazy playboy in Hawaii. But over time, Henry learns to be a hero for the people who love him, especially Lucy, who needs his when she endures short-term memory loss. Choosing to love someone can be an act of heroism, too.
Charlie Fineman
Charlie Fineman, Sandler's lead character in Reign Over Me, one of his more dramatic roles, is a hero for a different reason than the rest. His heroism comes in the form of what he has survived.
Granted, Charlie hasn't especially done anything to earn the title of a hero, as Hubie or Longfellow do. But the fact that he manages to persevere throughout every day, even considering what he lost on 9/11, is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. That tether ties itself to heroism, too.
Barry Egan
One of the shaded bits of symbolism in Sandler's character, is a sort of Superman figure in the film. Superman is definitely more heroic than Barry, but Barry has his moments when he stands tall against those who wish to keep him down.
The problem is that Barry digs himself into many of these situations in the first place and drags others down with him. Still, there is heroism required to come out on top.
Happy Gilmore
Throughout the iconic comedy of Happy Gilmore, Sandler's lead, titular character is someone the audience is innately inclined to root for. After all, he's just trying to protect his grandmother and play some golf.
However, his tactics are borderline life-threatening and frequently dangerous. He gets into a fistfight with Bob Barker and generally mocks those he meets. He turns out to be a hero, but it's a complicated path to arrive at that point.
Nicky
Like Happy, Nicky from Little Nicky winds up redeeming himself and finding a happily ever after. Yet, just because some small streaks of heroism creep in at the end, doesn't mean all the previous villainy from Nicky is negated.
After all, Nicky is one of the sons of Satan. That's pretty evil! The inhabitants of the world are not explicitly the products of their parents. However, the afterlife certainly raises some eyebrows. It's hard to believe that a demon from hell is anything but ninety percent a villain.
Howard Ratner
Very rarely does Uncut Gems definitely takes the cake as the most evil.
He cheats on and lies to his wife, he endangers his girlfriend's life, he uses his children as pawns, and he's ultimately the reason that mortal peril stares him down following the conclusion of a Boston Celtics game. Howard Ratner is a deplorable human being and a testament to Sandler's immense acting range.
