With his anger issues almost in check, Happy Gilmore and his mentor Chubbs prepare to win the Tour Championship. With Happy’s win on the line he stresses to hit the golf ball into the hole, only three feet away. His mentor Chubbs in a calm and collected manner repeats… “All you have to do is tap it in. Just tap it in. Just tap it in. Just tap it in. Give it a little tappy. Tap, tap, tap-a-roo.”
Any fan of golf, or Adam Sandler for that matter, would recall this iconic line from Happy Gilmore. After a long and painful 30 years, Sandler came back as Happy , still rocking the Bruins jersey and a hockey stick putter. This time though, Happy is not fighting for money for his grandma’s house, he’s fighting for his daughter to go to dance school in France. Instead of competing against his nemesis, Shooter McGavin, he competes and prepares to destroy a team, called Maxi League, the so-called “future of golf.”
One of the best parts of the film was the cameos. Not only was his family incorporated into the movie, but stars like Travis Kelce, Cameron Boyce, Eminem, Rory Mcilroy, and Bad Bunny were as well. These cameos made the movie a great watch and honestly kept the viewers on their feet. Appearances by Guy Fieri and Steve Buscemi were a funny addition to the film.
Fans appreciate the cast and Happy Madison productions coming together again to create a movie for the next generation to enjoy. Sandler was able to contact his friends and co-stars from Saturday Night Live (SNL) and get them to come together for the film. The fact that Sandler was able to get everyone back one last time for the movie was really appreciated. Parents grew up with Happy Gilmore and now this generation is growing up with it too.
The film has varying similarities and differences from its predecessor. Sandler would have flashbacks going back to his time as a world class golfer, moments that made the movie nostalgic for parents. Ben Stiller returned to pick on Happy, not just his grandma, and Julie Bowen reprised her role as Happy’s wife; still keeping him calm in his happy place. The modern twist on the film made it more relatable for the next generation, adding moments with video games as well as references to social media apps like TikTok. It was refreshing seeing Happy grow old with us,showing the growth of Happy Gilmore as a father and as a character.
The movie does an excellent job in showing the importance of family and the importance of hard work. When we see Happy in the first film he comes off as very immature, but the second film highlighted his growth as a character and made the aging seem less forced. Some parts never changed though. Although he’s older now his love for the Bruins never died; he still has the team posters and even put his sons into hockey mirroring him as a person. These special attentions to detail helped the sequel feel like a continuation of the first film rather than a different movie.
All in all, this was a fantastic sequel that really showed how fun golf can be and it shows the talent of the Sandler family. Happy came from a broken hockey dream and then became a golf star. Ultimately, it reminds people that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
