Happy Gilmore (1996)
I have seen the original Happy Gilmore a few times. A rather rememberable comedy golf movie in a good way. Adam Sandler plays Happy Gilmore who ended up having a sports career change. A man he met convinced him to go from hockey to golf. A small part of this reminds me of Kingpin as in the comedy bowling movie.
Where Roy a former bowling champion convinced an Amish man named Ishmael to compete in a bowling tournament. Although Roy's rival Ernie caused Ishmael to break his hand. Roy himself ending up taking his place in that bowling tournament to nearly won it all. This is virtually the Golf version of that concept. Happy does get a rival named Shooter that gets very competitive.
He competed in a golf tournament to help his grandma. I felt Happy's character was more relatable in this movie. The actual humor was overall done better with a great cast. Considering this followed in the trend of the original Caddyshack that's a huge shoe to fill. Caddyshack itself was another famous comedy golf movie.
I also liked Happy's mentor so happened to be the same actor who played Apollo Creed in Rocky series. Rocky is notably more realistic as well as serious. I got to mention the replacement hand that also reminded me of that bowling movie. You actually see character development in Happy's journey. If it weren't obvious, Sandler's movie company is named Happy Madison.
Which took Happy's first name with Billy Madison's last name to make Happy Madison Productions. Billy Madison was another classic with Sandler. Which might be a little of a required taste though. Happy is widely known for his attitude. This is really focus on golf but in a more entertaining way. I personally find golf among the most boring sports.
Happy Gilmore is a movie that I could see a family enjoy watching together. I just hope they wait until their kids are teenagers. The shots Happy makes I don't think are possible to do in real life. You never knew with some athletes in some sports though. Honestly, it felt like just like the original Rocky movie. Where the protagonists are essentially the underdogs of their stories.
Yes it's true Rocky didn't actually win that final match in the canon of the franchise. It still led to a rematch in Rocky 2. This also reminded me of another comedy sports movie, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Which so happens to have another comedian, Ben Stiller. Stiller plays a doctor taking care of Happy's grandma.
In that dodgeball movie, he plays the main rival that owns a big name Gym. The rivalry also led to a tournament, a rather fun comedy sports movie for it's time. I felt some of those comedy sports movies owe respect to the original Happy Gilmore. I will be honest I usually don't like football much. Somehow I actually prefer The Waterboy also starring Adam Sandler more.
A major difference is Happy playing golf by himself while Robert was a member of a football team. Just like the original Happy Gilmore made watching football a lot of fun. This might come as a huge surprise to my own fan. I always enjoyed The Replacements that's also a famous 90s football movie. There's some funny moments but more of a serious take on the sports in a movie.
The actual story played out perfectly I wouldn't change a single thing. There's a lot of moments that's easy to rewatch. Including the famous fight scene with Bob Barker. There's a follow up fight with Barker in a commercial that's also fun to watch. Surprisingly Barker was really into the joke of that concept.
Happy Gilmore is a classic if you're into the sport or a fan of Adam Sandler's. Some might view it a bit disrespectful take on the sport which is unfortunately coming up next. But I do think this golf movie is truly amazing at everything it does. I do occasionally enjoy comedy movies just a bit particular about it. Honestly, it's a must watch even if you don't like golf yourself it's a fun one!!!
Happy Gilmore 2 (2025)
As many people knows there's the trend of legacy sequels. Which does include Happy Gilmore 2 being among my least favorites. Even Sandler originally didn't want to do the movie. It took many attempts from his family to convinced him. Unfortunately the movie itself doesn't hide that fact well. There isn't very much I actually like about this golf movie.
Happy was doing well until he swung a golf ball that killed his wife. They had a couple kids with one played one of his real life children in the movie. His actual wife also in the movie as well. Some characters came back in ways I didn't expect. Like Ben Stiller ended up having a more notable role. Now he was running these group sections with people struggled with alcohol.
Following the death of his wife, Happy became a drunk. His reputation kept going down the toilet including playing with a group of rookies. At one point nearly killed all of them when he fell asleep driving a golf cart. Little to none of the actual humor was done well at all. In fact, majority of the humor felt rather forced as well as uninspired.
Shooter does return after spend years at a mental institute following the original golf movie. This movie threw some huge curve balls to the story I wasn't expecting. Happy does work stuff out with Shooter following a fight. Happy took part in earning a spot on a team to represent golf. The opposing team represents this weird obstacle theme golf matches.
It's a bit out there even considering Futurama had a more ridiculous variation of golf. Yet somehow that ended up being more actual fun to watch in comparison. I will be brutally honest, I didn't like how Happy's story was written. It should've been he fell to the bottom. Then work harder than what was shown in the actual movie to get back to the topic.
I could understand Kingpin's Roy because he had one of his hands severed. Sure both disappeared playing professionally while being drunks. I rather Happy simply focus more on raising his family. Then when he was ready to come back. He would return with help from his family to get his edge back. Which would've been a much better comedy golf movie.
Shooter was freed by a greedy sports business owner that also does sports video games. Not even Shooter wanted any part of what he's selling speaks volumes. If you aren't paying attention, Shooter joined Happy during the tournament. Happy gets a new rival played by Haley Joel Osment. I don't wanna open a rather unpleasant bag of worms.
Osment himself had a recent hard times with drugs. I hope like Bam Margera he possibly get back on his feet soon. His boss already cheating in a few ways. Including a rather questionable surgery that's meant to give the entire team the ability to do the perfect golf swing. The absolute worst part is it has virtually nothing to do with cyber enhancements.
In fact, you probably wouldn't guess it involves a shoe I won't say in what way though. Hey I gotta leave some stuff to the imagination. Happy Gilmore 2 is a huge step down. It actually felt like another sports movie I really don't like. Space Jam: A New Legacy just not nearly as bad. It's still not recommended to fellow Adam Sandler fans.
There's some newer characters that passed torches of some older ones. This is due to the fact, some of those original actors passed away. One of these newer characters was played by rapper Eminem. I usually don't enjoy rap myself honestly. Somehow how he goes about the genre I actually liked. I will confess I actually like listening to his songs.
I just wish he had a better role than this. Just like what led to Sandler making this movie. His family begged him to call this guy to do a cameo in this movie. Funny enough, Eminem actually wanted to do it being happy for the role. It's a little weird, another sports legend lives in Happy's garage. He does spend time inside the house in a couple scenes.
Happy Gilmore 2 I don't wanna see felt lazy it just came off that way. I would've been fine if Happy Gilmore never gotten a sequel. I actually wished Little Nicky would've gotten one instead. You can tell whoever wrote the move it's very inconsistent at times. We had this new caddy who previously was a waiter at a golf club.
At a point in the movie, this guy doing some amazing stuff out of no where. I also didn't like Happy's cursing was notably censored. Not in a somewhat enjoyable way either. I wish I could've said this golf movie had something. The actual villain characters are all poorly written. Hell I'll give my greatest insult I possibly could ever give this golf movie.
So here it is Mr. Sandler I'm absolutely not sorry for what I'm about to say. This movie felt like a very bad rip off of Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Considering Happy competing to help his family out. The main antagonist owns this sports brand with a strangely felt attitude. Honestly, I felt everything that dodgeball movie is done way better!!!
This also could be I actually like volleyball to a degree. Happy Gilmore 2 doesn't have anything great at all. The opening is alright with a lackluster ending. The entire movie felt like an after thought. As a Sandler fan, I did expect the movie to be a little rememberable. Maybe a somewhat alright golf movie at that.
To be honest, I really can't say those things about the movie. Happy Gilmore 2 is a movie I wanna pretend doesn't exist. I probably would've been happier to not seen the golf movie. Especially don't even go in comparing it to the original you'll be very disappointed. Honestly, this movie just felt like it's stuck in time just like Dumb and Dumber To.
I really tried to wanting to root for Happy in this movie I just couldn't. I also gotta mention, he literately has hidden spots for liquor around his house. Including some stuff you wouldn't expect wait did Q from James Bond help supplied him booze? This should've been a fun sports redemption movie. Instead Sandler may written the character to be a bit too unlikeable.
The whole being down on his luck with liquor should've been a much smaller part of the movie. I strongly felt there's plenty of changes including some smaller ones. Easily would've made this a little better maybe alright golf movie. Yes there's a new character similar to his mentor. I kept noticing one of his arms was a bit too long.
The movie itself felt forced, rushed with barely any room to breath. Even with his kids being a very notable presence in the movie. Even those characters was mostly meh at best. Ben Stiller's character gets chased while on the verge of resisting arrest. Suddenly ripping off Dumb & Dumber with that? Even parts of it's sequel was a little better than this!!!
Happy Gilmore 2 felt more like Depressing Nomore to me. The actual humor was dated similar to that movie. Honestly, Sandler did look rough not shaved as well. I know for the direction he went for, he needed to have that. I actually was referring to how he went about some aspects of the character. Even Stallone made Rambo worked amazingly well in Rambo: Last Blood come on!!!
The original Happy Gilmore felt like life of the party. This one felt more like everyone left, there's a huge mess. No one stayed to clean it up while the police suddenly knocks on the door to arrest you. Oh wait parts of this movie felt just like that!!! It's even difficult to pick an handful of smaller moments you might enjoy.
To me, this golf movie is easily among the absolute worst I ever seen!!! Easily the most disappointing considering Caddyshack 2 had something a bit small. This movie shouldn't had been released in the state it's in. I know it's exclusive for Netflix even I felt they should've had higher standards than this!!! I strongly felt this is one long golf game where a player just can't get the ball in the first hole!!!
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