‘Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh’ On Netflix Gives His Comedy Career New Life

Who knew Funny People could predict the future?

The 2009 movie written and directed by Judd Apatow starred his former roommate, Adam Sandler, as middle-aged retired stand-up comedian turned movie star, who feels alone and depressed not only because his recent film choices had become more ridiculous and inane, but also because his very survival was in doubt.

In the years since, Sandler has made a string of movies that have not been well-received by anyone other than his most die-hard fans. And yet, even if his real-life health may never have been in question, he has found his way back to the comedy stage, too. I was fortunate enough to witness the very beginning of the making of his new Netflix stand-up special, Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh, when he performed this January at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles.

He’d go on to film routines in 20 venues this year, directed by longtime collaborator Steven Brill, and in part also filmed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who had previously brought out a revelatory performance from the Sandman in 2002’s Punch-Drunk Love.

The format is reminiscent of his first two platinum albums, loaded with songs with amusing albeit brief patter to bring them all together.

Having so many venues to choose from allows Brill and Sandler to showcase his enduring popularity, as well as edit out all the filler. The opening bit, for example, finds Sandler singing in dress rehearsal, before cutting to two or three other locations (including The Comic Strip in New York City, where he started back in the mid-1980s) while he tags the song with additional punchlines.

Moving seamlessly from intimate clubs to theaters to arenas and back again really does result in a 73-minute performance that is 100 percent fresh.

It might not matter if any of Sandler’s new ditties reach the heights or radio airplay of “The Chanukah Song,” which dates back to 1994.

Although most of these two dozen jingles and songs are catchy to stick with you. Such as this one about his “Uber Driver.”

Most songs only last as long as needed to get to the joke.

But a few do receive multiple verses, and even animated story board treatments, including “Bar Mitzvah Boy,” “Phone Wallet Keys,” and “Farley,” a lovingly sentimental song about his dearly departed friend and SNL cast mate, Chris Farley.

At times, especially when he’s no longer singing and just joking around, Sandler comes off as 52 going on 12, what with his fascination with sex, sex organs and body sounds.

Anderson even cuts away a few times to audience members who still may seem to wonder what to make of Sandler after all these years.

For Sandler completists, you’ll be delighted to know that one of his songs includes a very familiar guest performer to duet to it.

And for everyone, you’ll be even more delighted to know that this comedy special represents Sandler’s best work since Funny People. That film ended with Sandler’s character facing an optimistic but uncertain future.

Perhaps we, too, can now look forward to a funnier, more surprising future from him, too.

Sean L. McCarthy works the comedy beat for his own digital newspaper, The Comic’s Comic; before that, for actual newspapers. Based in NYC but will travel anywhere for the scoop: Ice cream or news. He also tweets @thecomicscomic and podcasts half-hour episodes with comedians revealing origin stories: The Comic’s Comic Presents Last Things First.

Watch Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh on Netflix