Review of Happy Gilmore (1996) by Clem666 — 16 Jan 2022

Opinions seem to be really polarized when it comes to 'Happy Gilmore'! As far as I am concerned I can say it is hard to give it a number. So I'm glad you're reading my comment rather than just looking on the number I gave to this movie.

I can't really say I honestly disliked it. I enjoyed the pace of the feature: jokes are so quick that you can easily move on if you don't like them. Obviously the majority of them are lame, overly violent, childish or just gross but at least they come and go fast. I would say the longest and heaviest joke is the movie itslef and its pathetic scenario. However and since I consider this film to be a joke machine, it is obvious that some of them manage to hit the mark. All the Grandma side could have been way more exploited in order to deepen Sandler's character. But instead we don't know where we are going until the last quarter of the movie. Cardboard scenario.

Chubbs (embodied by Carl Weathers) is a great character, maybe the best of the whole movie ! Great acting, he makes the plot move on, funny performance, and maintains his point of view from beginning to end without thinking about money and fame, as all the other characters do. Virginia (Julie Bowen) only appear because she is a woman. She sadly has no other role than that. In addition to that director Dennis Dugan couldn't prevent to sexualize her even more in some terrible scenes.

I kind of enjoyed the energy and the vivacity of 'Happy Gilmore', especially the one brought by Happy (Adam Sandler). I have many things to reproach him with but I can't deny he gave an interesting tone to the whole product. Great for that. However I truly hated his constant violence. I guess Dennis Dugan also found funny to beat many people's asses. I think it wasn't necessary to be amusing. On the opposite, the questions about what kind of sport golf is and should be were great !

In conclusion, I liked "Happy Gilmore" because I am an adult, able to think about what is and should be fun. And what such violence should not be. Officially potentially dangerous to children and influenceable teenagers.