Netflix
Is there any genre Adam Sandler hasn’t hit while working on his behemoth $250 million first-look deal with Netflix? Horror, check—Hubie Halloween. Young adult, check—You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah. Mystery, check—Murder Mystery. Western, check—The Ridiculous 6. Sports, check—Hustle. Comedy—well, of course that one’s covered.
These titles may not excel in their respective genres (in fact, most of the aforementioned flicks are terrible), but with Netflix, the world is Sandler’s oyster. In his latest vehicle, Leo, Sandler ticks off the animation, family movie, and musical boxes from his list. Perhaps we’re only waiting on period drama from him now, but that one might not be Sandler’s forte.
Leo, now streaming on Netflix, also happens to be Sandler’s most bizarre turn in his deal with Netflix, which is saying a lot, considering his Happy Madison banner also produced irreverent releases like The Wrong Missy and Hubie Halloween. But Leo feels less like a Sandler flick and more like a warped Disney movie. It follows elementary schoolers as they deal with usual 10-year-old drama like crushes and birthday party invites, but with a big twist: Grouchy class pet Leo (Sandler), a talking lizard, is the one guiding these kids through their struggles.