Review: Is Hollywood's most versatile talent Adam Sandler?

Some folks can't accept that Adam Sandler is a grownup. They still see him as the goofball spewing gibberish on "Saturday Night Live" or the hothead screaming obscenities at Bob Barker in "Happy Gilmore." They ignore the 56-year-old actor/producer's diverse output in recent years, including serious dramas ("Uncut Gems"), children's fare ("Hotel Transylvania 3"), romantic capers ("Murder Mystery") and uplifting sports flicks ("Hustle").

Not all his efforts are great. He's "earned" 37 Golden Raspberry Award nominations, the most of anyone other than Sylvester Stallone. His latest, "You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah," which starts streaming Friday on Netflix, isn't going to earn him major pans or praise. But it's another example of his eclectic tastes and desire to expand his audience.

To do so in "Mitzvah," Sandler takes a back seat to his daughter Sunny Sandler. She plays a semi-spoiled teenager whose plans to become a woman are upended by childish behavior at her junior high. The movie also features Sandler's wife, Jackie, and their older daughter, Sadie.

There's not a lot of huge laughs (except when current "SNL" star Sarah Sherman pops in as a hip rabbi) but the undertone is as sweet as chocolate babka. Tweens not yet old enough to appreciate "Never Have I Ever" will be smitten. They may even become Sandler fans. That's cool. Just don't let them watch "The Ridiculous 6."

Also this week

'Explorer: Lost in the Arctic'

National Geographic writer/thrill seeker Mark Synnott follows in the path of British explorer John Franklin, whose 1845 expedition to the Northwest Passage remains shrouded in mystery. Synnott and his team don't get a lot of answers but the photography of the ice is so vivid that you may end up searching for a quilt. 9 p.m. Thursday, Nat Geo; on Hulu and Disney Plus Friday

'Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity'

Three hours may seem like an excessive running time for a documentary about a jazz saxophonist not named Charlie Parker or John Coltrane. But filmmaker Dorsay Alavi slowly convinces you he was just as talented as those more famous names. Shorter, interviewed in depth before his death in March, isn't great at tooting his own horn, but friends like Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock and Renée Fleming are more than willing to sing his praises. Friday, Amazon Prime

'Depp v. Heard'

This three-part documentary avoids taking sides in the court battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard that riveted viewers last year. But director Emma Cooper clearly sets out to indict TikTokers, podcasters and bloggers who treated the court proceedings like a sporting event. By the end, you'll wish these social media influencers would be sentenced to watch Depp's "Mortdecai" on repeat. Netflix

'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves'

I never got into the role-playing game as a kid, but if it's half as much fun as this 2023 movie, I really missed out. Chris Pine leads a team of adventurers who are as adept at coming up with zingers as they are at throwing punches while Hugh Grant adds to his growing list of juicy bad guy roles. You won't need to know the difference between druids and paladins to enjoy the journey. Friday, Amazon Prime