I feel that anyone with a golf forum has made their feelings known about the movie Happy Gilmore 2 that premiered July 25.
And I have seen the gamut of feelings and emotions when it comes to the movie. The vast majority were positive, and there were some that disliked the movie.
In full discloser, I was a big fan of the first movie and from the time I heard of the second movie being made, it was one of the most anticipated movies I have been waiting to see.
I had such high hopes for the movie that when I got up at 7 a.m. the day it was released on Netflix, I had to convince myself to temper my excitement, or I would be setting myself up for a letdown.
I mean it couldn’t possibly be as good as I thought, could it?
It was better! And there was no disappointment.
Here is where some went wrong, I think in looking at the movie and the expectations that came with it.
I went into the movie with no expectations of cinematic brilliance. I went in expecting to laugh for the entire movie and see where the characters from the first film are now.
Fulfilled in aces on both counts.
If you went in thinking you were getting an in-depth, Oscar winning movie then that was your fault. I didn’t go in expecting The Godfather, Oppenheimer, The Joker, or A Star Is Born.
Nope I went in expecting this generations version Animal House and the American Pie series. And that’s what I got big time.
Adam Sandler is a comedic genius in role that no matter how stupid the comedy was, it made you laugh. If you are not a fan of stupid comedy like the Airplane, Kentucky Fried Movie, Naked Gun, and Dumb and Dumber variety, this might not be a movie for you.
But if that’s the case, honestly, I almost feel sorry for you. Stupid comedy allows us to escape from everyday pressures and allows us to laugh and laugh hard.
I was watching the movie in one room at our house, while my wife was reading in another room. She kept asking me what was so funny. It got so overwhelming that she eventually gave up and came in to watch the last quarter of the movie.
Without trying to give up any spoilers – can’t believe that many who would enjoy the movie haven’t seen it yet – but I wanted to run through my thoughts on what made Happy Gilmore 2 such an awesome flack.
The first point comes in different points.
*The casting.
Professional golfers: Amazing that Sandler got all of these guys to play themselves. Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Sheffler, Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Keegan Bradley, Collin Morikawa, Fred Couples, Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Corey Pavin, John Daly, and Lee Trevino. Who was the best – Justin Thomas being a fanboy of Happy when paired with him the tournament, but don’t throw out Zalatoris for playing out the role of Gilmore’s caddy from the first movie. The actor from that movie was compared to Zalatoris’ looks wise. Pure genius to have him in the movie. Daly was great, playing himself, living in Gilmore’s garage. Overall: it was awesome to see all these golfers playing themselves and trying to act.
Other athletes/sports personalities: Travis Kelce (plays a waiter at the Tour’s champions dinner), Stephen A. Smith, Dan Patrick, Chris Berman, Verne Lundquist, Kelsey Plum, Reggie Bush. Boban Marjanovic, and Nikki Bella. Kelce steals the scene as the waiter.
Celebrities: Haley Joel Osmet (I see dead people), Oliver Hudson, Steve Buscemi, Eminem, Guy Fieri, Jon Lovitz, Post Malone, Kid Cudi, Rob Schneider, Ken Jennings (Jeopardy host, plays himself).
Eminem was sensational in his brief role of playing the son of the guy who heckled Happy in the first movie.
Sandler family: His daughters Sunny and Sadie, his wife Jackie, and his mother Judith all make appearances.
Honestly, it’s amazing how many celebrities are in the movie. It’s like a Starbucks – every time you turn around, you run into another one. It seems like most of the movie it’s like – “hey, isn’t that so and so.”
*The story line.
Sandler takes a swipe at the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf battle as the back story to the movie. Okay, Maxi Golf is way more extreme than LIV, but it’s clear Sandler used the reality of a league competing against the PGA Tour. And the irony of Koepke and DeChambeau – two LIV players – playing for the PGA Tour was not lost.
That’s it – those two points, the casting and the back story line, was enough to the movie a must see.
Is Happy Gilmore 2 a great movie? If you consider a great movie one you enjoyed throughout and one that you would watch again? If so, then hell yes!
If you haven’t seen it, do so. If you’re an honest person, you will be able to admit you liked it. If you watch it and don’t like it, well good luck finding humor.