Can Adam Sandler Really Win An Oscar This Year?

I bet you thought you’d never read a headline like that. Depending on who you ask, Adam Sandler is one of those talents you either wish would stop making movies altogether or just step away and have Quentin Tarantino “rediscover” him for a career revival. It almost happened when the Pulp Fiction director wanted Sandler for his WWII film Inglorious Basterds, which would go on to be nominated for a slew of Academy Awards.

But here’s the thing: When Sandler applies himself, he’s actually a decent actor. Many forget his turn in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love or the lesser-seen Reign Over Me. Heck, he was even good in Judd Apatow’s Funny People. Sandler rarely takes on serious roles on account he loves having his Happy Madison productions be excuses to take family vacations. He’s been doing it since 50 First Dates, which reunited him with his Wedding Singer co-star, Drew Barrymore.

So the news out of the Cannes Film Festival is that the Saturday Night Live alum received a four-minute standing ovation after the screening of Noah Bumbach’s The Meyerowitz Stories. Now there’s talk that he’s a potential Oscar contender for his performance as one of the siblings of an estranged family that comes together to celebrate the artistic work of their father (played by Dustin Hoffman). Not bad for a guy who has the career highlight of being knocked out by Bob Barker in that famous Happy Gilmore scene.

Netflix will debut Bumbach’s film later this year, but glowing reviews have already poured in from Cannes (currently 93% at Rotten Tomatoes, based on 29 reviews) and most citing Adam Sandler’s remarkable performance. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter remarked:

[The Meyerowitz Stories] benefits from sterling turns from a wonderful cast, most notably Dustin Hoffman and, no kidding, Adam Sandler.

When you consider the number of great performers to never win an Oscar and know that Sandler is a possibility, well the world has just gone topsy-turvy hasn’t it?