The Sandman is back with his latest comedy special, and his first in six years, Adam Sandler: Love You.
Adam Sandler: Love You prides itself on its relatability and kind surface. You can tell this alone from the title, with the Love You being a message and a moral to the audience, and as he hilariously points out in the middle of the performance, leave the conflict until after the show.
As an avid Sandler fan since before I can remember, I am more than familiar with the artist’s work and style, having perfected a sincere raunchiness that never ages. This special is no different, despite having a relatively low and relaxed energy about it. Although that slowly dissipates within the first fifteen minutes, the musically charged special really had me laughing.
Starting with musical acts early in his career, singing is not a foreign concept to the actor having starred in The Wedding Singer, and having an extensive humour-filled discography. Adam Sandler plays into that very much in this special and it works like a charm, with each song being interactive and hilarious. From jokes playing off his own (presumably fictional) familial experiences, to jokes about genies and Number 2s, the special is a spectrum of hilarity.
Directing the special is longtime Sandler collaborator Josh Safdie, who alongside his brother Benny, directed Sandler in Uncut Gems. The special doesn’t require any insane direction and the task doesn’t seem to be overly challenging for the suspense master (who also directed 2017’s Good Time). The stage for the comedy set is small, but intentionally so, to keep audience members involved and up close to maintain that relatable tone they’re so evidently going for. Sandler is framed in little to no lighting to keep the attention maintained at the performer and it really works in my opinion.
To cap off the 75-minute set is a musical tribute to the art of comedy, and the people who make it possible. From Conan O’Brien to David Spade to the late greats Chris Farley and Norm Macdonald, the special leaves you as an audience member, with a melancholic smile on your face. Without putting it into words, this last performance says ‘This is what comedy is about, making people happy” and I think that is a perfect encapsulation of the special, and Sandler’s shtick as a whole.
Adam Sandler: Love You is performed and written by Adam Sandler, and is directed by Josh Safdie. It is now streaming in full on Netflix.
