The last decade has been very interesting forAdam Sandler. He’s certainly taken a dive back into more serious acting, delivering acclaimed performances in films such asHustle, Uncut Gems, The Meyerowitz Stories,and evenMen, Women, and Children(a bad movie that he nonetheless excels in). However, Sandler’s current deal with Netflix has seemed to result in just one lazy comedy after another. While some of Sandler’s earlier films evoke nostalgia from those that grew up with them, it’s hard to imagine anyone that would citeThe Ridiculous 6, The Do-Over, Sandy Wexler,orThe Week Ofas a personal favorite.
Despite the generally negative reception to Sandler’s Netflix comedies, 2019’sMurder Mysterywas a welcome surprise. The film follows the New York police officer Nick Spitz (Sandler) and his wife Audrey (played by Jennifer Aniston) as they navigate a difficult period in their marriage. Nick takes them on an impromptu trip to inject some energy back into their relationship, but they end up getting embroiled in an international murder case. While it was hardlyKnives Out, Murder Mysteryactually managed to keep the audience engaged in solving the case in between Sandler’s wacky hijinks. The film’s popularity prompted the development of the sequelMurder Mystery 2, which proves once again that this is a franchise that is worth Sandler’s time.
A Legitimate Character Progression
Sandler is an inherently likable actor with a great screen presence, and his friendliness and compassion comes across in his public appearances. Unfortunately, many of Sandler’s films attempt to cast him as selfish man-children, who simply ruin and bother everyone they’re around. While earlier films likeHappy Gilmore, Billy Madison,andBig Daddyat least made this type of character endearing,his 21st-Century filmstended to cast him in overtly obnoxious roles. Thankfully, Nick Spitz is a much more responsible (while still as immature) version of Sandler. He truly cares about justice and the law, and he takes his job as a police officer seriously. Nick makes some goofy mistakes and does award things, but he always has the most noble of goals in mind.
Related:The Funniest Adam Sandler Movies, Ranked
Comedy sequels often struggle when the characters simply revert to the same problems they had in their predecessors, leading to repetitive character arcs. Thankfully, it seems like Nick has actually taken away the right lessons from his adventure in the firstMurder Mysterybased on where the sequel picks up. Now a private investigator alongside his wife, Nick is putting the skills he learned solving the last case and his experience as a cop to good use. He seems to have taken more time to pay attention to his wife’s grievances, as his ignorance in the first film was among the reasons that he took the impromptu trip that accidentally became a crime scene. This gives Nick more room to grow in the sequel; he wants to still prove himself by finally passing the police examination, and struggles when he misjudges a few investigative cases. Nick also begins to feel jealous when he begins working alongside a handsome, polished super spy played by Mark Strong.
Great Chemistry With Jennifer Aniston
Sandler’s films often either succeed or fail based on the strength of the chemistry he has with his romantic partner on screen.Jack & Jillis one of his worst films to date because his relationship with Katie Holmes never seemed believable, butPunch-Drunk Loveis among his best because he and Emily Watson are simply charming together. With Aniston, Sandler has found someone who is just as well-versed in comedy as he is. Both Sandler and Aniston emerged from the 1990s comedy scene and have continued to reinvent themselves throughout their careers. It’s also nice to see a Hollywood film that shows a productive, happy relationship between two people who are around the same age; Sandler’s films aren’t given credit for how surprisingly progressive they are.
Having Aniston do as much physical comedy as Sandler works in favor ofMurder Mystery 2. This is most evident during a scene where the two characters attend a formal ceremony together; Nick ends up bumping into people and causing chaos, but Audrey ends up embarrassing herself when she takes part in a dance that she’s clearly not prepared to take part in. It’s also great to see the couple working together towards the end of the film, as neither of them is a traditional action star. Hearing Audrey desperately try to hint at having a plan to an otherwise ignorant Nick adds a lot of fun tension to the final set piece. While it’s obvious that neither character is going to perish in such a light and silly movie, that doesn’t mean that Sandler and Aniston don’t nail the mutual fear that their characters feel when facing dangerous situations.
Related:Best Adam Sandler Movies of All Time, Ranked
Avoiding Typical Sandler Cliches
While Sandler always appears to have good intentions, some of his films have been accused of having problematic elements.The Ridiculous 6was heavily criticized by a group of Native American performerswho walked off the set, claiming that the film’s depiction of indigenous communities was offensive and inaccurate. Similarly, many of Sandler’s films from the 1990s are hard to rewatch due to theblatantly homophobic jokesthat are simply mean-spirited. Thankfully,Murder Mystery 2avoids these issues and doesn’t make cheap gags intended to demean people based on their identity.
While the film takes place overseas and features a diverse group of wacky characters, it doesn’t make jokes that are inherently about race, culture, or religion. In fact, it’s the ignorance of Nick and Audrey that is being lampooned, as they are often the butt of the joke. The film also deserves credit for featuring women and people of color in positive, progressive roles. Melanie Laurent co-stars as a Secret Service agent that is far more competent than Nick, and the South African actor John Kani returns to reprise his role as Colonel Ulenga, a brave military man who risks his life to help solve the murder.
