Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler in ‘Murder Mystery’

In olden times, Sandler movies would open reasonably well in theaters, then enjoy a long life on pay TV and other platforms. Today, it’s hard to imagine many flocking to the cineplex for such fare, so Netflix skipped that step and signed Sandler to a longterm deal, figuring after a beer or glass of wine and with the kids in bed, hey, why not?

Of course, that speaks to Sandler’s audience matriculating toward middle age, which, conveniently, is precisely what the movie is about. Indeed, it follows a familiar script for couples who have seen the magic fade (“Date Night,” “Keeping Up With the Joneses”), only to rediscover each other through an adventure that usually involves people trying to kill them — and in this case, conspicuously takes place in locales where a producer/star and his family might want to vacation.