Adam Sandler as ‘The Cobbler’

Entertainment Weekly unveiled the first image of Tom McCarthy’s The Cobbler, a departure of sorts for actor Adam Sandler who in recent years has let his shtick get the better of him with movies like Jack & Jill, That’s My Boy and last summer’s Grown Ups 2. Sandler, who nearly a decade ago tried to branch out of the frat-boy niche with Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love and has made other occasional dramatic forays such as Reign Over Me, is attempting a turn in a more sophisticated comedy, one with a bit more of a prestige lift to it.

The Cobbler tells the story of a sad sack New York shoe repairman who is given the chance to walk “in the shoes of another man” after unearthing a family heirloom.  It may sound a bit like a lazy high concept premise for, say an Adam Sandler vehicle, but McCarthy, who directs and wrote the script with Paul Sado, has earned a reputation for making smart, witty comedies for mature adults having been nominated for three Writers Guild awards for penning the films The Station Agent, The Visitor and Win Win; he also earned an Oscar nomination for co-writing the screenplay to the Pixar hit Up.  Dustin Hoffman, Steve Buscemi and Melonie Diaz (Fruitvale Station) co-star in the film, which recently wrapped production in New York City.

“For a guy who’s known as a funny guy, Adam has a very soulful quality to him,” says McCarthy.  “One of the things that makes Adam right for [the role] is that he does handle the various levels of comedy very well. And he transitions really well from comedy to drama. He can make even the smallest, simplest moments funny.”

As of right now, no release plans are confirmed.