Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that the biggest red flag for this movie is the cursing and violent behavior of Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler). His short fuse results in a number of skirmishes, including an extended (comic) fight scene with Bob Barker. The two brutally pound on each other until Gilmore is eventually knocked unconscious. Another scene has Gilmore threaten another golfer with the shards of a broken beer bottle. The profanity shies away from sexual comments, and is comprised mostly of the F word and the S word. Kids will enjoy Sandler's over-the-top and abrasive humor, as well as the ongoing joke of a golfer's handicapped hand that had been eaten by an alligator.
Families who watch this movie may want to talk about Sandler's character. His best friends in the film include a physically challenged ex-pro golfer, a homeless man, an amiable public relations woman, and his sweet grandmother. In addition, Gilmore earns a lot of money through his golf tournament wins with the goal of saving his grandmother's house. Do these sweet-natured friendships and altruistic deeds make up for his violent behavior? Is it the humor or the violence that makes Adam Sandler films so popular?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Alex Orner
What happens when you take a psychotic hockey player who holds the only league record of trying to stab somebody with his skate and throw him on the links with tranquil golfers? Adam Sandler in one of his funniest roles. Happy Gilmore is a man with a hard aggressive core and a surprisingly sweet center. After hearing his grandmother lost her house due to back taxes, Gilmore is forced to come up with $270,000 to save his grandmother's home. Despite the maniacal hockey player's thunderous slapshot, Gilmore can't skate worth a dime and thus seeks alternatives to raise money for his beloved grandmother. Under the guidance of "Chubbs," an ex-pro golfer who lost his hand to an alligator, Gilmore surges up the golf circuit and knocks out his competition.
Second only to Billy Madison, HAPPY GILMORE stands out as one of Adam Sandler's best works. The movie pokes fun at the rather "stiff" golf world and spices it up with a character that makes Mike Tyson look like a level-headed individual. Anyone and everything sets Sandler into a crippling fury. For anyone who has previewed Sandler's work in the mid-90's (SNL or Billy Madison), the film's humor becomes quite predictable, but kids are likely to enjoy it. Appropriate for older teens.
Kids and parents who enjoy HAPPY GILMORE may want to check out Billy Madison. This film aptly suits teenagers and up; however, the humor may be too silly for a mature adult to enjoy.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentMasturbation references, protagonist has fantasy of a woman in lingerie. |
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ViolenceViolence is portrayed in a comical manner. A couple of fistfights, protagonist threatens another person with a broken bottle. |
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LanguageLots of profanity. |
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Social BehaviorProtagonist is violent and uses a lot of profanity, but has a good heart. |
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CommercialismContinuous references to Pepsi and Subway, but it is used more as a jab to commercialism than promoting commercialism. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoFor the most part minimal, but there are a couple scenes of golf spectators chugging beer. |
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