Comedy is subjective, and that often makes it difficult for audiences to wholeheartedly agree on which comedy movies truly deserve their status among the best ever made. There are plenty of comedy actors who’ve been massively successful throughout their careers, even though some people might not find them as funny as others.

Adam Sandler has often struggled to balance audience appreciation with critical acclaim throughout his career; a whole generation of casual viewers grew up with his movies despite many critics panning them at every turn.

The Waterboy is a perfect example of this. Released 28 years ago today and hailed as a comedy classic by many, the film is still routinely dismissed by critics—leading to its underwhelming Rotten Tomatoes score of just 34%.…