Adam Sandler recently opened up about the impact of reading negative reviews of his movies early in his career. Sandler said that he and his Billy Madison co-writer “read the first [review of the film] and we were like, ‘Oh my God, what happened? They hate us.’” Some of Sandler’s movies have been rightly praised, like Uncut Gems and Punch-Drunk Love, but critics often give his movies a harsh write-up as a knee-jerk reaction based on his involvement alone.

A few films from the Sandler oeuvre have been panned by critics when they deserved to be acclaimed, like his heartwarming father-son story Big Daddy and his infectiously sweet romcom 50 First Dates.

10 Mr. Deeds (2002)

Adam Sandler gives a eulogy in Mr Deeds

Sandler’s Mr. Deeds reboot was nominated for three Razzies: Worst Actor for Sandler, Worst Actress for Winona Ryder, and Worst Remake or Sequel for the movie. This affable comedy about an everyman inheriting a fortune and using it to make the world a better place deserved to be treated much better.

Longfellow Deeds is by far Sandler’s most likable character because, even after acquiring unspeakable riches, he treats everybody as his equal.

9 Grown Ups (2010)

The dance scene in Grown Ups

Xan Brooks’ one-star Guardian review of Grown Ups described the movie as a “ghastly celebrity roast in the guise of a boisterous family comedy.” While the sequel earned its critical panning, the first movie is nowhere near as bad as the reviews made it seem.

The loose hangout feel of the story, paired with Sandler’s easy chemistry with co-stars like Chris Rock and Kevin James, make for a nice, breezy moviegoing experience with more than a few chuckles.

8 Anger Management (2003)

Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler look angry in a monestary in Anger Management

Sandler is subjected to unorthodox anger management therapy at the hands of a delightfully deranged Jack Nicholson in Anger Management. In a two-star review, Roger Ebert wrote, “The concept is inspired. The execution is lame... A film that might have been one of Adam Sandler’s best becomes one of Jack Nicholson’s worst.”

Whether they’re sharing a bed or singing “I Feel Pretty” in the midst of rush-hour traffic, Sandler does a terrific job of playing the frustrated voice of reason opposite Nicholson’s zany turn as the therapist.

7 Click (2006)

Adam Sandler and Christopher Walken in Click.

Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Click, Sandler’s morbidly ironic story of a man discovering a magical remote that can control his life, “would itself like to be It’s a Wonderful Life, but [Sandler’s character] earns none of George Bailey’s mature wisdom honestly.” That’s a valid point, but Click can’t really be faulted for falling short of Frank Capra’s timeless masterpiece.

It’s one of Sandler’s most moving and sincere films. Click isn’t afraid to make its audience cry floods of tears with an increasingly bleak look at its workaholic lead character’s lonely future.

6 Just Go With It (2011)

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston in Just Go With It.

At the end of 2011, The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin named Just Go with It as one of the worst movies of the year. He dubbed the film “a crass and overpopulated remake of Cactus Flower, served up as a mangy romcom of serial deceptions.”

The whole plot might be built on lies and deceit, but it’s a fun farce full of twists and turns. Sandler’s effortless on-screen chemistry with Jennifer Aniston carries the movie.

5 Funny People (2009)

Adam Sandler breaks up a relationship in Funny People

Michael Phillips wrote in his Chicago Tribune review that Judd Apatow’s semi-autobiographical dramedy Funny People is “an attempt by Apatow to reconcile the huge success he has become with the up-and-comer he once was. The results run an increasingly exasperating two-and-a-half hours.”

While it’s true that Funny People is extraordinarily long for a comedy, the role of comedian-turned-movie star George Simmons gave Sandler the chance to do some real introspective acting. With a terminal illness storyline and a marital affair subplot, Funny People is surprisingly dark for a Sandler movie.

4 Big Daddy (1999)

Sonny talking to Julian in Big Daddy

David Ansen’s cynical review of Big Daddy for Newsweek reads, “Amiable, schizoid, and disposable, Big Daddy is just as formulaic as you might imagine.” Ansen disliked the movie because its tale of an immature man-child reluctantly adopting an orphan, loving the kid as his own, and embracing the responsibilities of fatherhood reaches a predictably uplifting conclusion.

But it’s unfair to write off a movie just because it’s uplifting. Big Daddy marked the first time that Sandler took his man-child screen persona on a real emotional journey. Sonny’s time with Julian changes him for the better.

3 The Week Of (2018)

Adam_Sandler_and_Chris_Rock_on_a_porch_in_The_Week_Of

Robert Smigel’s The Week Of is ranked as one of Sandler’s worst Netflix originals by IMDb. In a review for Variety, Peter Debruge described The Week Of as “another lazy, overlong comedy Netflix subscribers can half-ignore while doing the dishes.”

The runtime is a little long, but The Week Of is a really fun movie about clashing classes. Sandler plays the frugal father of the bride who insists on paying for the wedding but keeps cutting corners, while Chris Rock is a hysterical foil as the wealthy father of the groom who wishes he’d just let him pay.

2 Happy Gilmore (1996)

Adam Sandler yells at a golf ball in Happy Gilmore

In a one-and-a-half-star review, Roger Ebert wrote that Happy Gilmore “looks like a product placement sampler in search of a movie,” and added that the titular golfer “doesn’t have a pleasing personality.” But in spite of its negative reviews, Happy Gilmore has stood the test of time to become one of Sandler’s most beloved movies.

It’s an exaggerated take on the underdog sports movie formula. Telling the story of an aggressive hockey player bringing his violent tactics to the golf course, Happy Gilmore is full of hilarious scenes.

1 50 First Dates (2004)

Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates

Controversial New York Observer critic Rex Reed panned Sandler’s romantic comedy 50 First Dates as “stupid, coarse, and abysmally unfunny.” That’s an extremely harsh assessment of a movie whose only goal is to hit its audience in the feels with a treatise on the power of love.

The premise of Drew Barrymore’s amnesiac character re-falling in love with Sandler’s playboy character every day might be a little far-fetched, but Sandler and Barrymore’s time-tested on-screen chemistry makes it work.

NEXT: 10 Most Rewatchable Adam Sandler Movies