Latest news with #HAPPYGILMORE2
Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Happy Gilmore 2 review: Can Sandler (and a LOT of cameos) solve a problem like legacy sequels?
It appears that there are no original ideas in Hollywood anymore, with the legacy sequel becoming more and more common in cinema. While they sometimes work — Top Gun: Maverick being the best example of the bunch — many were worried once Happy Gilmore 2 was announced; not only as a legacy sequel, but as a Netflix exclusive. While Happy Gilmore remains a cult classic, and arguably one of Adam Sandler's best films, a sequel nearly three decades later that would only be released on the streaming giant rather than getting a cinema release, would have some fans worried that we were going to get some more slop. And while there are more cameos than can count, the writing, somehow, makes up for it. Adam Sandler reprises his role as the hockey mad golfer Happy Gilmore, now 30 years older with a drinking problem. Pic: Netflix **SPOILER ALERT FOR HAPPY GILMORE 2 NOW IN EFFECT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!** The film kicks off with 30 years of exposition, which includes Happy winning five more Tour Championships and having five children with his wife Virginia Venit – who was killed after an errant drive from her husband as he teed off. Yep, I guess Julie Bowen has made enough money from Modern Family just to show up for five minutes in this film. Good for her, I guess. The all is lost moment comes quick in here, with Happy ending up a broke alcoholic who loses his grandmother's house again, working a minimum wage job while hiding his drinking problem in increasingly unlikely hip flasks. Bad Bunny is a highlight of the film as Happy's caddy. Pic: Scott Yamano/Netflix When he learns that his only daughter gets accepted into a prestigious ballet school in Paris — that will cost over $300,000 — Happy dusts off the clubs and re-enters the tour (after nearly killing three people he was playing a round with to try and get back into shape). From there, the guest appearances come thick and fast, and while half of them get spoiled in the trailer, there are some moments that will have you shout 'oh my god, they got THEM!?' while stars from the original movie (minus a few who have passed on either in the film or in real life) carry the film. Christopher McDonald returns as Shooter McGavin, now committed to a mental hospital after going crazy because he didn't win, and ends up doing a lot of heavy lifting in the third act, Bad Bunny — yes, the rapper — plays an absolute blinder as the Tour's bus boy/Happy's caddy and is a highlight of the film, while Ben Stiller's character Hal L. trades in his nursing scrubs for AA chips (but don't worry, the physical labour remains). Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin and Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore in Happy Gilmore 2. Pic: Scott Yamano/Netflix Of course, the film needs a big bad; and while Shooter wouldn't have been a necessarily terrible choice, the antagonists come in the form of the all too familiar new golf league that plans to destroy 'traditional' golf and tries to recruit some of golf's biggest pros (now where have we heard that recently?) Happy ends up joining a motley crew of golfers (including our own Rory McIlroy) to try and take down the in your face 'Maxi Golf' league; and while this is where the final act drags, you can't blame the pros for trying (Rory, it's a good thing you finally got that grand slam, because an Oscar is unfortunately not in your future). While the film uses almost too many clips from the original to fill in the gaps, and as we mentioned before the final game between the traditional golfers and the Maxi Golf golfers goes on, and on, and on… there is enough here to get plenty of chuckles out of viewers. The slapstick comedy in some of the golf rounds are pretty great, the extent of Happy's alcoholism and his increasingly unlikely hip flasks are hilarious, while Christopher McDonald hits a hole in one returning as Shooter. Could this have worked better as a cinematic release, like other legacy sequels that will be coming out later this year? Probably. But hey, I guess Netflix were willing to pay all those celebrities upfront for their appearances. rating: 3/5. Happy Gilmore is available on Netflix.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Happy Gilmore 2' review: Good to see Adam Sandler, but it's not on par with the original
movie review HAPPY GILMORE 2 Running time: 114 minutes. Rated PG-13 (strong language, crude/sexual material, partial nudity and some thematic material). On Netflix. It's fitting that the sequel to Adam Sandler's 'Happy Gilmore' landed on Netflix. Weird to think now, given its enduring popularity, but the 1996 comedy, although profitable, didn't do huge box office at movie theaters. It settled for No. 38 that year. Then, thanks to cable TV reruns at home, dumb fun 'Happy' turned into an endlessly quotable 1990s classic. Teens loved it, which is not surprising considering Sandler has always been an overgrown kid. The memorable lines are endless. 'The Price is Wrong, b—h!,' 'You suck, jackass!,' 'Tap tap taparoo' — each one worthy of being slapped on a T-shirt. So, the small screen suits 'Happy.' The bigger question is: Did we need more 'Gilmore' 29 years later? Eh, not really. But, like the belligerent man who dreamed of being a hockey player and unwillingly ended up King of the Putting Green instead, it's here anyway. Without question, the followup isn't as hilarious as the original. Who honestly expected it to be? And a good 20 minutes could have been trimmed. But '2' is warm and comfortable, features another untethered performance from Sandler that only he can give, and is less lazy than I feared. 'Murder Mystery 2,' it is not. Phew. 4 Happy Gilmore takes up the clubs again 29 years later. Scott Yamano/Netflix Back at the keyboard, co-writers Sandler and Tim Herlihy pump in a lot of fan service (just about every 1996 scene is replayed) and a little fan fury. After a quick montage of what Happy's been up to the past three decades — superstardom, product endorsements, trophies, a pack of wild kids, hosting 'SNL' — the man accidentally kills his wife Virginia (Julie Bowen, back for five minutes) with his famed running driver swing. A big swing, to say the least. The surely controversial move is much darker than the gator-head shock death of Carl Weathers' Chubbs' from the first. And it starts the movie off on a somber note. Happy's now a single dad who becomes an alcoholic and works at a grocery store. When his dancer daughter Vienna (Adam's actual daughter Sunny Sandler) wants to go to a pricey Parisian ballet school, he finally picks up the clubs again to foot the bill. 4 The film makes a controversial move with Julie Bowen's Virginia. Scott Yamano/Netflix Clearly, there is not much in the way of plot. Well, there is a overwrought thread about a sexed-up PGA competitor called Maxi Golf (perhaps that's a dig at LIV). But it's hard to root for the PGA like it's some penniless underdog. To puff things up, there are about five million celebrity cameos. Really, if you make star spotting into a drinking game during 'Happy Gilmore 2,' you'll be dead by the credits. Some of the core cast return: Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, who's released from an asylum, Ben Stiller's Hal and Kevin Nealon. 4 Happy's old nemesis Scooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) returns. AP But it's the clown car full of newcomers, from Jon Lovitz to Eminem, who chew up the scenery beyond recognition. A peek at the madness: Bad Bunny, Happy's soft-spoken new caddy, rubs honey all over Travis Kelce's body during a fantasy sequence before Taylor Swift's boyfriend is attacked by a bear. The cast also adds plenty of real pro golfers, such as Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, John Daly and Scottie Scheffler. You get the vibe that they all love the '96 movie. The downside of having a cast of trillions, though, is that we never really get to know any of these new people. They jump in, crack a joke and beeline to craft services. A-listers constantly popping up like a long game of Whack-A-Mole grows gimmicky. 4 John Daly is one of several real golfers to appear in 'Happy Gilmore 2.' AP And, predictably, because Happy has already been the most famous golfer in the world, the ragtag road to victory doesn't feel as euphoric as the last time. Nothing does. Regular-guy Sandler is deservedly a favorite actor of the masses. However, the actor's angry shouting and pummeling hecklers played better when he was a 29-year-old rebel from 'SNL.' Now double that, he comes off more like Casey Affleck in 'Manchester by the Sea,' only funny. Still, 'Happy Gilmore 2' works well enough for what it is. But, please, please, please, keep you hands off 'The Wedding Singer,' 'Billy Madison' and 'The Waterboy.' You can't do it!
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore 2 triggers online storm over his look — ‘He looks like he got divorced 4 seconds ago!'
Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore 2 leans heavily on the original's legacy rather than forging a new path. Even if you missed the 1996 original, the sequel's frequent clips and repeated callbacks ensure you won't fall behind. With many cast members reprising their roles, the film feels more like a reunion special than a sequel. Cameos are frequent, some so brief they hardly register, creating an environment where familiarity replaces storytelling. The movie opens nearly three decades after the original. Happy, now a shell of his former self, is jobless, broke, and mourning the tragic death of his wife Virginia—accidentally killed by one of his golf balls. Julie Bowen exits quickly, returning occasionally as a ghost. Sandler's real-life daughter, Sunny, plays Happy's ballet-aspiring daughter, Vienna. 1996 ➡️ 2025Adam Sandler returns for 'HAPPY GILMORE 2' Golf, rehab, and a bizarre new rival Happy returns to golf after encouragement from John Daly, now living in his garage. But his comeback is far from smooth. His first outing with new characters—played by Eric Andre and Margaret Qualley—is a disaster. He gets help through a support group led by Ben Stiller's character Hal, who this time delivers a mostly serious turn. The golfing world has changed too. Gone is Shooter McGavin as the villain. Instead, a new format, Maxi Golf, has taken over—complete with performance-enhanced players and showbiz flair. Benny Safdie plays the league's CEO, whose main character trait is having terrible breath. The film's comedic tone often veers into the absurd, from the overuse of slapstick to Happy repurposing liquor containers. Familiar characters return, new ones get lost Christopher McDonald reprises his role as Shooter McGavin, now an unlikely ally to Happy after being released from a mental facility. Their reunion leads to a fight in a cemetery filled with gravestones marked with names of former characters, including Bob Barker. Carl Weathers, who played Chubbs Peterson, was meant to return but passed away. In his place is Slim Peterson, Chubbs' son, played by Lavell Crawford, whose prosthetic hand mimics his father's in falling off frequently. Bad Bunny makes a surprise appearance as Happy's caddie, adding some unexpected charm—even in a scene where he covers Travis Kelce in honey. Adam Sandler is back in his happy place. Happy Gilmore 2 arrives July 25. Despite the overload of callbacks, Sandler appears to be coasting through the film. A character even remarks he looks like he 'got divorced four seconds ago.' While McDonald brings bursts of energy, much of the film feels like a collection of sketches built around old jokes. Happy Gilmore 2 doesn't try to be a great film—it leans into nostalgia and familiarity, which might be enough for longtime fans.
