The downward spiral of Adam Sandler

This Friday sees the release of Jack & Jill, a film in which Adam Sandler plays a successful advertising agent who dreads the Thanksgiving holiday because it means the arrival of his needy, annoying and impossible-to-get-rid-of twin sister, who also happens to be played by Sandler.

As it currently holds a 3% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and some Americans critics are still recovering from that niggling feeling of being dead inside, it's worth wondering exactly what happened to the man who turned a high-profile sacking into box office success and worldwide popularity.

With an upbringing typical of most American comedians – born and raised in New York to Jewish parents with a background in performing – Sandler was discovered while working the same Los Angeles comedy club circuit many comedians-turned-movie-stars did before him. Being introduced to Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels by comedian Dennis Miller proved to be the big break the 24-year-old was dreaming of, as it led to a job as a writer on the massively successful sketch show that's responsible for introducing the world to Bill Murray, Tina Fey and Eddie Murphy, among others.

Fast-forward five years and Sandler was sacked from his regular gig (along with Chris Farley) with an uncertain future, but - as he'd already started to accept bit parts in films like Airheads - he used his experience and C-list status to co-write and star in Billy Madison as a grown man who goes back to school in order to take over his father's company. Setting the precedent for his entire career, the critics hated it but audiences didn't and the film grossed over $25 million worldwide and was followed by Bulletproof, Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer – one of the last great American rom-coms.

His gurning, manchild style of comedy may not have been very sophisticated or original but it worked, and for the most part everything he touched turned to gold as most people enjoy a good fart joke. But just as audiences and critics – Roger Ebert in particular seemed to have a personal vendetta – began to get used to expecting the obvious, darling director Paul Thomas Anderson did the unthinkable and cast him in the lead role in his follow-up to Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love in 2002.

Adam Sandler at his very best, opposite Emily Watson in Punch-Drunk Love.

His performance was a departure from his usual broad style of comedy which garnered comparisons to a young Dennis Hopper and saw him receive his one and only major acting nomination. You'd think the critical acclaim and change in direction would've meant an increase in quality from him and his company, Happy Madison Productions, but no. This marked the beginning of his downward spiral that shows no signs of slowing down.

Sticking to the constrictive formula that made him a star isn't exactly a crime, but Sandler has consistently gotten lazier with his material and seemingly uses his production company and close-knit circle of mediocre comedian pals to cash in with an endless stream of weak family films and offensively bad rom-coms. On top of that, he's single-handedly responsible for the mind-boggling ascendance to superstardom of Kevin James, a man who, like Sandler, started out as a perfectly decent TV star who made an adequate transition to movies with Hitch before making millions by being fat and falling over.

Astronomical recent disasters like Just Go With It and Jack & Jill aside, even his biggest hater would admit Sandler does have genuine talent, but he's clearly made a choice to be successful and rich instead of respected, and judging by his next project – in which he visits the son he fathered with his teacher as a teenager on the eve of his wedding and starts feuding with the bride – the Sandler who dazzled in Punch-Drunk Love is long gone and we're stuck with the Sandler who's pushing 50 and chooses to act the fool while adding more dollars to his production company/embezzlement scheme.

There's still hope; Eddie Murphy regained some credibility with an Oscar-nominated performance in Dreamgirls after the world grew tired of his fat suits, but then he followed it up Norbit and Meet Dave, so maybe Sandler is destined to be an embarrassment to cinema forever. And if so, we're just going to have to live with that.

Jack & Jill is released on Friday 3rd February | Add your review | Follow us on Twitter