(Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing)

When the workweek blues hit, Adam Sandler‘s cinema comfort food is the only prescription that works. His deal with Netflix has been doling out laugh-riot meds like there’s no tomorrow. The conversations around Sandler’s comedy credits have lately risen to towering heights, thanks to the highly anticipated Happy Gilmore 2. But something else has caught the eye with their audacious upswing, the surprise two-pack from his production house: Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2.

Both movies have entered the race chart of the Most Popular Movies of Netflix US. And currently, the sequel is outranking the original by miles. Grown Ups 2 is ranked third on the chart, while Grown Ups is in eighth position.

For those unaware, Grown Ups is a 2010 comedy gem starring A-listers from Kevin James to Chris Rock and more. It follows five childhood friends who triumphed their junior high school basketball championship back in the day, reunited three decades later for a Fourth of July weekend. The reason? The unexpected and shocking death of their former coach.

Meanwhile, Grown Ups 2 sees most of the cast members returning, and ideally follows Lenny’s, played by Sandler, move back to his hometown. And with him back, a reunion is imminent on the cards, but not without some setbacks and rivalries. Although both films were commercial hits, they were not exactly favoured heavily by the critics. In fact, the first film has a below-par ten per cent approval on Rotten Tomatoes, while the sequel goes down to eight per cent.

Then what explains the streaming rise of Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2 on Netflix? The films were marred by the lack of a convincing and original plot despite a star-studded ensemble. However, in the decades that have passed since, fans have delightedly gone back to chuckle at nostalgia. Moreover, one shouldn’t undermine the stronghold each star has.

With Happy Gilmore 2 set to drive its way onto Netflix this July 25th, interest in Adam Sandler’s cinematic catalogue is clearly gaining steam. But this resurgence is not just a case of sequel anticipation; it’s a perfect storm of streaming habits, algorithmic serendipity, and good-old-fashioned sentimentality. Films, once shrugged off by critics, have often enjoyed a second wind on streaming. And audiences, old and new, have rediscovered their offbeat charm.

Streaming thrives on comfort content: titles that ask little but offer a familiar rhythm of laughs, absurdity, and quotable moments. They’re easy to slip into and easy to share. They are perfect for background viewing or as late-night chill pills. Add in the power of personalised recommendations and social buzz, and suddenly you have comedies becoming digital campfires, pulling in first timers and returning fans alike.

It’s important to note that this isn’t a one-off phenomenon. Critically maligned films have found redemption in the streaming era, where the memory of culture is less rigid. As for Sandler? This moment seems tailor-made. Nearly every factor, from timing and tone to the forgiving nature of the algorithm, seems to be lining up like pins at the end of the bowling lane. All he needs to do is throw, which the audience has done on his behalf.