Severance star's comedy classic now streaming – 23 years after first release

If you're already having Severance withdrawal, like I am, after season 2 wrapped this week, you might be looking for some streaming respite. Tenuously linked though it may be, I've found my favourite character from the Apple TV+ show in a classic comedy movie.

Mr Deeds is actually an Adam Sandler movie from way back in 2002, but whether it's before or after your time and/or you grew up on his zany flicks (the good(ish) ones, before he really tanked), none other than John Turturro has a key role.

Whether you most love him as playing key-worker Irving B in Severance, or, indeed, butler Emilio Lopez in Mr Deeds, one thing is clear – John Turturro remains kinda sneaky in both roles. Check out the trailer below for the 23-years-younger Mr Turturro:

MR. DEEDS [2002] - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTube

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Mr Deeds is typical Adam Sandler comedy of the era: it's about a simple guy, Longfellow Deeds (Sandler), who inherits $40-billion from a long-lost relative. An undercover reporter, Babe Bennett (Winona Ryder), investigates him for a tabloid scoop. But, lo and behold, she falls in love with this simple character.

As is often the case with older movies such as this, the best streaming services don't have Mr Deeds readily available as part of your subscription (at the time of writing). In the UK, however, you can watch it on Sky and, by virtue of that, the Now streaming platform. Other services, such as Apple TV+ have it to buy or rent, if that's your preferred route.

Not that I'm purporting Mr Deeds to be a glorious movie, given its critical reception at the time. Perhaps I'm seeing it through rose-tinted teenage goggles, as Rotten Tomatoes serves it a lowly 22% rating – upped to 59% by audience approval ratings. Well, I guess that's a Sandler movie for you through and through. Don't expect high art.

But do expect John Turturro to ad-hoc pop up on your screens and deliver some comedy relief to those Severance series finale woes. It's worth it just to watch him stomp on Adam Sandler's foot in the movie, frankly.

Sandler seems to be flavour of the month once more, with Netflix having scooped him up for a Happy Gilmore sequel – due to stream from 25 July. That's a full 29 years after the original movie, if you can believe it. Hopefully that investment will be more successful for Netflix than its recent (and rather more expensive) 'flop', The Electric State.