Watch this ASAP (it’s streaming on Netflix)
OK, so what exactly are you thinking this will be?
I’ve read a lot of reviews (mostly mixed), but honestly, what were you expecting to see? Go ahead, send me your DM’s. I wanna know. Because Happy Gilmore 2 is literally everything I expected, wanted, and craved in a nearly 30-year-old sequel.
Look, I’ll be the first to admit that when I saw the original Gilmore in the 90’s I wasn’t a fan, but as time progressed it really grew on me. The stupidity, obnoxious jokes and over use of everything took a few years to hit me, but, when it did, boy howdy did I start loving it!
1995 was a wild year for Adam Sandler. He was starting to make a name for himself outside of stand up; Billy Madison was a success at the box office; his first comedy album They’re All Gonna Laugh at You! Was going strong and although you wouldn’t be able to guess it by his success then, but he was about to get even bigger.
Although the exact day is unknown, later that year Chris Farley and Sandler were asked to not return to Saturday Night Live because new management didn’t understand their comedy. (It should be noted that Mike Myers was also not asked back, but that’s a different story Yeah, baby! Yeah!). It was a little odd because America had gotten used to the cute guy pulling accents and mannerisms out of his rear end and the fat guy who just could do nothing wrong. But, reports show that the new execs just didn’t get Sandler and his bud.
So, what could possibly happen next?
Christopher McDonald is back as Shooter McGavin (left) and Happy Gilmore (Sandler, right) square off
How about a beyond a rough-around-the-edges hockey player who turns out to be a great golfer? His outlandish behavior throws the sport on its head, he saves the day and gets the girl! The name of the titular character worked last time, so why not do that again? And just like that, Happy Gilmore was born. The name, much like Sandler’s comedy style, came from his rear end. It sounds stupider the more you say it, and everyone on set was having a blast, but was it a hit? Yes. Kind of like a $41.5 million return on a $10 million budget kind of hit.
When a door is closed a window opens, amiright?
Almost hilariously perfect, a sequel no one asked, wanted or demanded for became all the things you would expect is released almost 30 years later. Most of the original characters are back (RIP to Carl Weathers) and yeah, I loved it! It’s stupider, more pointless, barely a storyline and I laughed my butt off the whole time. Everybody has their weaknesses.
To catch you up to speed: Happy Gilmore and Virginia (Julie Bowen) got married, had four boys and one girl. During a tournament, Happy accidentally hits Virginia in the head, killing her. Swearing off golf for good but more depressed than an 80’s emo song, Happy takes odd jobs to pay bills and drinks his way through life.
His only daughter, Vienna (played by real-life daughter Sunny) is a very talented ballet dancer and her instructor gets her into the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School in France. However, it’ll cost $300,000 minimum.
While working in a grocery store and hiding his alcoholism with drinking booze from a cucumber, Happy is approached by Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie, who is on his way to be this generation’s Lawrence Olivier; seriously, look at his resume) a young entrepreneur who is going to do to golf what Vince McMahon did for football. Taking the XFL (Xtreme Football League) approach, the extreme golf will be called Maxi Golf. Manatee wants to take the boring sport and add fireworks, obstacles and explosions! Who else to join him in his “Otto Rocket” like venture than the OG to the idea, Happy Freaking Gilmore!?!
However, Happy ain’t having it, but with a little push from his garage roommate John Daly, Happy decides to take golf on one more time and enter tournaments. Happy practices, fails, wins, gets everything and you can guess the ending with the school.
Sandler and Eminem as the son of the “jackass” guy
The movie literally goes everywhere you expect it to go and I loved it. From the moment the movie started, I was chuckling to full on laughter. The best parts to me weren’t the obvious jokes, but the small detailed ones like Manatee’s bad breath expressed through his shopping cart filled with garlic. The constant hiding of booze in objects had me dying. For example, when Happy decides to get sober, Vienna is clearing out all the alcohol and booze is hidden in the remote, cuckoo clock and that sanitizer? That’s actually sanitizer.
The cameos, good lord almighty, who wasn’t in this movie? It’s a who’s who of sports stars, announcers and Sandler’s buddies: It’s almost impossible to name them all. Haley Joel Osment as the brat of a player for Maxi Golf with a drive from hell; Eric Andre and Margaret Qualley as smack talking players when Happy is trying to get his groove back; Travis Kelce, Jon Lovitz, Jack Nicklaus. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, out pops Eminem.
So, what were you expecting? A sequel where we find Happy as a surgeon being sent to war torn countries to help? Or a goofy, slapstick comedy that doesn’t make a lot of sense with a who’s who of stars so we can all reenact the Leonardo DiCaprio meme pointing at the television?
Happy Gilmore 2 is a movie for those who loved the original and grew up with it. Sandler does his usual employment of all his friends as co-stars and it works like it always does. If you didn’t like the original then you won’t like this one. If you loved the original flick, or even liked it, then this one is for you. Kick back, turn off your brain and enjoy. You jackass!
Happy Gilmore 2 now streaming on Netflix
Directed: Kyle Newacheck
Writers: Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler
Stars: Adam Sandler, Christopher MacDonald, Benny Safdie, Ben Stiller, Bad Bunny
Genre: Comedy
Rated Pg-13
Runtime: 114 mins
Classic American Movies 
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