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The Wedding Singer

The Wedding Singer

He's gonna party like it's 1985!

199897 minPG-13Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Director
Frank Coraci
Starring
Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Christine Taylor, Allen Covert

Robbie, a local rock star turned wedding singer, is dumped on the day of his wedding. Meanwhile, waitress Julia finally sets a wedding date with her fiancée Glenn. When Julia and Robbie meet and hit it off, they find that things are more complicated than anybody thought.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Wedding Singer?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Wedding Singer streaming on Paramount+ via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Wedding Singer?

The Wedding Singer earns 6 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Wedding Singer worth watching?

The Wedding Singer's Midcredits score is the 77th percentile of all films, from 405K ratings across 6 sources. 68% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

77th percentile

Better received than 77% of films

84th percentile among Comedy79th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)75th
Approval (how many liked it)76th

69 /100

75th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Comedy79th percentile among 1990s

Critics 60 · Audience 69

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

68% liked it

76th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Comedy78th percentile among 1990s
68% rated it 7–1032% rated it 1–6

Critics 72% · Audience 80%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 7 noms overall

96th percentile

405K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Comedy95th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$18M
Opening weekend$19M
Domestic gross$80M
Worldwide gross$123M

Returned 6.9× its budget — 96th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A formulaic, nostalgic 80s-set romantic comedy carried by the charm and chemistry of its leads.

Fans praised

  • undeniable chemistry between Sandler and Barrymore
  • infectious 80s soundtrack and nostalgic period detail
  • genuinely sweet and heartwarming love story

Detractors panned

  • predictable, paint-by-numbers rom-com plot
  • heavy-handed and tiresome 80s references
  • juvenile humor with only sporadic laughs

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive82

excellent curated 80s soundtrack; Sandler's original songs also praised; some detractors find it overbearing

ActingDivisive72

leads' chemistry praised; Sandler shows rare restraint and likability; Barrymore charming; detractors find Sandler mumbling and one-note

AtmosphereDivisive70

strong 80s nostalgia and period immersion; critics say it overdoes the references

Emotional impactDivisive65

fans find it heartwarming and touching; detractors call it syrupy and sappy

CharactersDivisive60

likeable leads but one-dimensional side characters; detractors call them trite

HumorDivisive55

pleasant but inconsistent; fans enjoy Sandler's reduced obnoxiousness, detractors find it unfunny

Plot and story35

extremely predictable rom-com formula; fans tolerate as part of genre, detractors find it stale

Originality30

derivative plot and 80s-nostalgia gimmick heavily recycled

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 11 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Wedding Singer like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh.

It is gentle and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
WarmRomanticJoyful
Heaviest: middle
Warm humor
Register
WarmRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its rom-com story straight with genuine emotion and laughs, but with affectionate 80s parody throughout.
The rideThe film stays buoyant and affectionate throughout; the most emotionally heavy stretch is Robbie's depression after being jilted, which occupies the middle act.
StructureThe story unfolds in chronological order from Robbie's wedding day disaster through his pursuit of Julia to the airport finale.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe joyful airport reconciliation and the warm closing wedding scene leave the viewer feeling uplifted and believing in love.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% (this title) · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Romantic comedy: Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.

11% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeRobbie Hart, a wedding singer jilted at the altar, falls for a waitress engaged to a cheating financier; the story follows his journey to win her heart, driven by romantic comedy conventions of misunderstandings and a grand gesture.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of filmsAmbition · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film is about a man who rediscovers his own value through a love that is mutual and honest, rather than the shallow relationship he had.
StanceThe film wholeheartedly celebrates romantic love as the path to genuine happiness and self-discovery.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanDomesticIn transitRealistic
PopRockForeground music · hybrid · Teddy Castellucci
SettingRidgefield, New Jersey in 1985
MusicOriginal songs including 'Somebody Kill Me' and 'Grow Old with You', plus period-accurate 80s pop covers.

Content guide

Is The Wedding Singer okay for kids?

PG-13

The Wedding Singer is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sex-related material and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (25/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at moderate (55/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (39/100) and frightening material at minimal (5/100). Overall it is heavier than 35% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 9 other countries
  • UK12
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • South Korea15
  • BrazilL
  • Czechia12+
  • Netherlands12
  • SwedenBtl
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 25% of all filmsHeavier than 35% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 19%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 73%
Profanity
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 80%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 78%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 4%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 80% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Wedding Singer have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Wedding Singer?

Cast

Adam Sandler
as Robbie
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Drew Barrymore
as Julia
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christine Taylor
as Holly
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Allen Covert
as Sammy
Matthew Glave
as Glenn
Ellen Albertini Dow
as Rosie
Angela Featherstone
as Linda
Alexis Arquette
as George
Christina Pickles
as Angie
Jodi Thelen
as Kate
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Wedding Singer?

Movies like The Wedding Singer include Zookeeper (2011), Sandy Wexler (2017) and Get Over It (2001). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Frank Coraci, and most are friends-to-lovers stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its story type: romantic comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Wedding Singer?

1.7K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: tycoon. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.