Every bit as intense and strangely sweet as his electrifying turn in Uncut Gems…
The 92nd annual Academy Awards take place on Sunday night/Monday morning and it’s a fairly open-and-shut case in most categories, to be quite honest.
The entire campaign has thrown up little in the way of surprises, but one man who has reason to feel a touch aggrieved is Adam Sandler.
The 53-year-old is, of course, best known for his comedic performances, but a terrific dramatic one is not beyond him either, as proven by the likes of Punch-Drunk Love and Funny People.
With the arrival of Uncut Gems in cinemas and on Netflix last month, lots of people have received an especially intense reminder of Sandler’s more serious side. As jewellery dealer and gambling addict Howard Ratner, Sandler dominates the screen. Combined with the Safdie Brothers’ direction, the film is essentially a two-hour panic attack. Not for everyone, but a legitimate modern great.
And so, when Sandler didn’t receive a Best Actor nomination for this year’s Oscars, there was something of an uproar. On Saturday night, he won big at the Independent Spirit Awards, named as Best Male Lead for his turn in Uncut Gems.
What followed was quite brilliant as Sandler quickly slipped into familiar motormouth oddball territory – Waterboy-esque, if you will – for an acceptance speech that poked fun at himself, his friends and colleagues and the “critics [that] pretended not to hate me for five fucking minutes” among others.
“I would like to also give a shout-out to my fellow nominees, who will now and forever be known as the guys who lost to fucking Adam Sandler,” he continued.
“You know, a few weeks back when I was quote-unquote snubbed by the Academy, it reminded me of when I briefly attended high school and was overlooked for the coveted superlative category – Best Looking. That accolade was given to a jean jacket-wearing, feather-haired douchebag by the name of Skipper Jenkins.”
By the end, the voice returned to normal service as Sandler thanked producer Scott Rudin – “Two years ago Scott said the words that would forever change my life; ‘No, those aren’t homeless rabbis – those are the Safdie Brothers’.” – his family and everyone who believed in and worked with him over the years.
Check it out below.
Not to be outdone, Josh and Benny Safdie gave a powerhouse speech of their own after the duo scooped the Best Director prize.
As that name would suggest, it’s usually reserved for a single individual. Cue the brothers having some audio nightmare fun:
Clips via Film Independent
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
