Displaying items by tag: Happy Gilmore 2 movie

HAPPY GILMORE 2

US, 2025, 114 minutes, Colour.

Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, Benny Safdie, Ben Stiller, Bad Bunny, John Daley, Dennis Dugan, Haley Joel Osment, Jackie Sandler, Sadie Sandler, Steve Buscemi, Margarette Qualley, Verne Lindquist, Post-Malone, Nick Faldo, Sergio Garcia, Charles Howell III, Scotty Scheffler, Lee Trevino, Bubba Watson, Seth Waugh, Will Sasso, Travis Kelce. Tim Herlihy, Richard Kiel, Scott Mescudi, Judith Sandler, Nick Swordson, Eminem, John Lovitz, Rob Schneider.

Directed by Kyle Newacheck.

29 years later! Happy Gilmore was one of Adam Sandler’s earliest comedies – very successful and he named his production company after him. In the meantime, Sandler has become a household name, critics not always favourable to his comedies but praising him in his serious roles, Anger Management, Punch-Drunk Love. In more recent years his films have gone straight to Netflix.

Sandler takes up his old character, often likeable, often unlikeable, having made a great success 30 years earlier with his golf skills, and his clashes with his arch rival, played by Christopher McDonald. As this film begins, there is an emotional and dramatic shock, Happy Gilmore has hit a stroke which has hit his wife, Virginia (Julie Bowen) and has killed her! This causes him a great deal of grief, drinking, collapse – but the opportunity for her to reappear in many ghostly supportive sequences. In the meantime, they have four rough and ready boys who are ready to mix it amongst themselves and with anybody else at an instant’s notice. But, there is also a daughter who is a successful dancer and has the prospect of going to study in Paris if the fees can be raised.

This gives a certain framework to a plot, Happy Gilmore dependent on drink, full of self-pity, memories of his wife. When he is persuaded to try again at golf, there are all kinds of comic misfires. But, we know that he will actually improve but, many hurdles and sandpits along the way.

In the meantime, his foe from the past, Christopher McDonald, has spent his years in an institution but is allowed out under the influence of millionaire, Frank who is setting up a rival golf organisation which could eliminate traditional golf (memories of the Saudi Arabian competition). Frank is played by director Ben Safdie. But, McDonald will not accept the terms and actually becomes one of the main good guys for the rest of the film.

There are a number of flashbacks to the past, including a scene with the late Carl Weathers as the coach and a tribute to him.

And, quite a number of characters from the past, substantial like Ben Stiller as the would-be councillor for AA meetings, comic glimpses of Richard Kiel and his diminutive mother, Judith Sandler. In fact, there are various members of the Sandler family appearing throughout the film. There are momentary glimpses of Rob Schneider, a comic sequence with John oevitz, Steve Buscemi as the bad neighbour. And, a modern touch, Margaret Qualley as a young golfer.

And, there are over 20 champion golf players making cameos here from Jack Nicholas to Rory Mc Elory. Which probably makes the film something of a must for golf aficionados.

The screenplay was written by Tim Herlihy with Adam Sandler, Herlihy having written 12 of Sandler’s films. His popular rector, Dennis Dougan, has a cameo role here. The present film has been directed by Kyle Newacheck, who directed Sandler in Murder Mystery.

Which means that any conversation about the film will focus on Sandler and his comedies and his reputation, memories of the first film, and sharing appreciation of all the guest comics who make an appearance and, more especially, all the golf celebrities.

And, on first release on Netflix, it broke the records!