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The quintessential rom-com of the ‘90s, The Wedding Singer, has turned 25! Upon its release, the iconic film shifted the trajectory for its leads as the first of many collaborations between Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Their chemistry was palpable then and the movie still holds up to this day, both in laughs and tugging at heartstrings.
It is constantly sung praises in the same breath as Happy Gilmore, cementing it as one of the most memorable pieces of 90s movie history.
Growing Old With The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer is a love story to love itself with iconic songs you can’t help but sing along to. Who hasn’t felt those butterflies from hearing “I Wanna Grow Old With You”? The ‘90s kids that grew up with the film have now had children of their own rediscovering the rom-com classic.
For film buffs, what really stands out is the undeniable chemistry on display with Sandler and Barrymore. Few pairings have resulted in such a natural blend of humor, sweetness, and will-they-won’t-they goodness. The on-screen couple would go on to have a decades-long friendship that would result in two more immediate rom-com must-watches: 2004’s 50 First Dates and 2014’s Blended. It seems every era has a Sandler-Barrymore flick that represents love in all its silly splendor. Still, it can’t be denied that their first foray is still often touted as the best one.
The success of The Wedding Singer also encouraged Sandler to veer into a little more drama within his film career. Fast-forward a little and you’ll find his stunning performances in great films like The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) and Uncut Gems.
In an interview with People, Barrymore shares that her relationship with Sandler has always been rooted in love, respect, and admiration. She notes that he is “the only person on the planet who could have gotten me to do a film” during her busiest times as a mother and showrunner for THe Drew Barrymore Show. She also joined Jennifer Aniston (another recurring collaborator for the ‘Sandman’) in a bit and presentation for Adam’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Pop Culture Impact
The impact of the movie cannot be denied in its 25th year in the wild. People still quote its best scenes constantly and you the vast library of memes in modern internet culture without the GIF of Sandler singing “Oh, somebody kill me please.”
In terms of representation, it also continues to carry the unique vantage point of how grassroots musicians earn a living in the world. Told in a humorous perspective that is grounded in equal parts reality and zaniness, The Wedding Singer is the very film that comes to mind when thinking about party bands for hire (especially in the context of weddings.) Today, you still see such bands across the world adding that extra layer to those long receptions and fascinating unions. Though modern musicians can usually be booked through online platforms, the highs and lows of the experience are still rooted in the film’s ideals – albeit with fewer threats of mic strangling.
This also permeates to other aspects of music culture. One of the top albums by Sza popularly features a song called “Drew Barrymore”, a dreamy pop R&B number that speaks on relationships and self-consciousness. It seems the association between Drew and her roles cannot be denied in the modern audiophile’s vernacular.
What many people may not even realize is that the movie found a second life on Broadway, eventually getting nominated for Best Musical at the 2006 Tony Awards. Though it didn’t join the pantheon of winners due to the powerhouse that was Jersey Boys, it would run for several US and international tours. Newer fans continue to sprout as the film is available to stream on Max and be rented on iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, and Google Play.