After his 2023 movie “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah,” producer Adam Sandler is back with another Netflix Original. “Roommates,” starring Sadie Sandler as “Devon” and Chloe East as “Celeste,” is a funny, thoughtful and sometimes jaw-dropping comedy-drama about two college (you guessed it) roommates and the growing nature of passive-aggression and psychological warfare between them.
With fantastic supporting performances from a stacked cast of Natasha Lyonne, Sarah Sherman, Nick Kroll and Carol Kane, along with young stars Storm Reid, Ivy Wolk and Bailee Madison, this is a film I would recommend in a heartbeat. During a casual Saturday night viewing with a friend, and after seeing the title in bold yellow across our Netflix homepage and then clicking play, we shared many genuine laughs, screams and “There’s no way she did that,” moments as the film’s runtime of one hour and 47 minutes played out.
The story (warning: spoilers ahead) dives into the toxic friendship between shy and naïve freshman Devon and overbearing, seemingly nonchalant, 20-year-old-but-also-a-freshman Celeste. They experience a variety of hindrances to their friendship, including but not limited to an exploding turkey, a dorm on fire, the CEO of Staples and a spring break karaoke performance of “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. While I found the revenge submission to the college-wide campus betterment competition towards the end of the movie a lovely touch, my viewing companion felt differently, melting into second-hand embarrassment.
Another memorable part of the film was the surprise appearance of none other than icon Megan Thee Stallion in the final act. Though some online opinions said the ending was rushed and not good, reviews were overwhelmingly positive overall. One X (Twitter) user wrote, “finished roommates on netflix solid 6/10 i wish we would’ve got a romantic happy ending with devon and michael cause they were buzzy,” and another wrote, “why was that new movie Roommates on Netflix actually a banger” accompanied by a gif of musical artist PinkPantheress. Others commented on their favor of the film despite the nepotism-filled cast: “roommates (2026) on netflix being randomly very good despite being a nepobaby fest,” referring to the children of Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Eddie Murphy, Tim Herlihy, Chris Rock and Martin Scorsese all being members of this cast.
Ultimately, I suggest adding “Roommates” to your watch list this weekend if you are looking for an easy-going yet compelling narrative about a tumultuous relationship between college roommates that captures the twists and turns of early college life. The film’s focus on family support and sibling love will warm your heart just as much as it will make you snicker. So, grab some popcorn (and maybe your roommate) and turn on Netflix this weekend to watch this lighthearted, hilarious dramedy.
