Legacy sequels are the current trend in Hollywood right now. Top Gun: Maverick was a huge box office success, and studio executives are scrambling to find more sequels to older, famous films. Sequels to Crimson Tide and Days of Thunder are coming to theaters or streaming services soon. Last year’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F didn’t exactly become a big hit like it was supposed to, but that didn’t stop Netflix from making another legacy sequel. This time we have Happy Gilmore 2, a long-awaited sequel to the beloved comedy cult from the mid-1990s.
The first film wasn’t a huge box office hit, but it became a video rental sensation when it came out on VHS in the summer of 1996. I know this because I was working at a video store that summer, and copies of Happy Gilmore got rented all the time. Rumors of a sequel have been going around for years, but for whatever reason, Sandler never really wanted to do it. Fast forward almost 30 years, and a new $275 million deal with Netflix, Sandler finally delivered a sequel that fans have been waiting for for three decades.
Happy Gilmore is living the good life after the success in his professional golf career. He married Virginia (Julie Bowen) and they have 5 children together, 4 boys and 1 girl. The boys turned out to be losers, but his only daughter, Vienna (Sunny Sandler), is a talented ballerina. When tragedy struck, Happy turned to alcohol to find some comfort. But that led to him being broke because he couldn’t play golf anymore and lost all his sponsors.
When Sunny receives a chance to attend a prestigious ballet school in Paris, Happy needs big money quickly, taking advice from tenant Jon Daly (playing himself) to return to the links and find his “happy place” once again. Standing in the way of success is Frank (Benny Safdie), the owner of the new, flashy Maxi Golf League, who’s out to destroy the pro tour, pulling Shooter (Christopher McDonald) out of a psychiatric facility to make sure Happy struggles with his comeback. Happy also faces a new nemesis in Billy Jenkins (Haley Joel Osment).
Just like the original film, we witnessed Happy’s struggle trying to get back into shape and learning how to be a good golfer again. He also must attend alcohol healing class after he was arrested for causing a big accident at a golf course. The class is called “Healing Alkies for Life,” and it’s being run by his old senior care center nemesis, Hal (Ben Stiller). The first half of the movie was quite funny, but then it became tiresome with cameos and repetitive jokes. The first one was so much fun because it had charms, and while it’s ridiculous, it was also a lot of fun. This one tried to do the same thing, but somehow lost all the charm, and by the second half of the movie, Sandler looked uninterested and just checked out of the role. We get cringeworthy cameos from pro golfers, football players, and other pop stars.
Director Kyle Newacheck has more money to work with than the previous director of the first film. So, visually it looks good, and he was able to get some cool visual effects to appear on the screen during the golf matches. Despite the bigger budget and famous cameos, the movie lost its energy by the time the big golf matches start.
You can say that the first Happy Gilmore film is a comedy classic since it’s almost 30 years old. While I wasn’t clamoring for a sequel, I was looking forward to seeing this one when it got announced. Sadly, it didn’t deliver the fun that I was hoping for, and again, the cameos by some famous faces were cringey. I’m sure those folks are fans of the original film and wanted to be part of this one. I just wish the filmmakers had come up with a better and funnier story to tell.
So have you seen Happy Gilmore 2? Well, what do you think?
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I was actually gonna watch this before I read your review but now I think I’ll just wait until there isn’t anything else to watch, ahah. Plus I’m busy watching The Penguin right now, like you said, lots of great TV series to watch now.
If you’re on a plane or just bored, you can probably watch this movie. I feel like Sandler only did it as part of his new massive deal with Netflix. Similar to Eddie Murphy in last year’s Axel F, they both checked out of the movie half way through it. They both got big payday and obligated to be in the movie.
The Penguin is one of the best series from last year. You get to see how truly evil he is. I thought the show might try to get you to sympathize with this character but they showed how someone who’s already evil and got worse when they become rich and powerful.
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Thank you for this excellent review, Ted!
I won’t be rushing to see this film. Even Ben Stiller can’t seem to lure me.
Not the biggest fan of remakes, though there are a few that I do really like ex: Cape Fear.
Then again, this is more of a continuance than a remake.
Well, I honestly hope The Naked Gun does better in its remake continuance. I’m a fan of The Naked Gun series, a huge fan of Liam Neeson, and adored Leslie Neilson, wh I got to work with twice.
Best!
Hey Resa, well if you read my review of The Naked Gun, then you’ll know I LOVE that movie. Highly recommend even seeing it on the big screen, the laughs just kept on coming!
I did read it!
(I LOVE you!)
That’s part of why I believe it will beat the odds on the remake/continuing thing.
I have not seen it, but I feel based on the clips and trailers, my fan love of Neeson and your review that it will be the box office smash of the summer!
Yahoo!
Ah I wasn’t sure as I didn’t see your comment there. I think you’ll enjoy the Naked Gun reboot. It’s dumb but it’s by design LOL, I enjoyed it and I hope Liam would continue to do more comedy rather than action stuff. XOXO
My apologies, Ruth!
I know I read it. I just reread it. (and left a comment) I first heard about it here. Anyway, I checked and ..no like … no comment.
Sometimes I think I sleepwalk blog. Why not? I am guilty of sleepwalk eating.
Yes, it’s a thing! I wake up and a small jar of mustard or the rest of the peanut butter will be scraped clean and there will be a licked clean spoon inside.
I never remember doing it.
One morning there were cat crunchies in the bed, and a sort of trail to the bed.
I think I ate cat crunchies!!!!
Anyway, sorry for the loop!
XOXOXO
Oh gosh, no need to apologize!! But I didn’t know you sleepwalk eating, yikes!! That could be dangerous if you open the house door and walk outside! So when you sleep-ate, you didn’t remember doing so? That is so fascinating!! That could make an intriguing short film… but man, that is crazy that you could do that.
Anyhoo, hope you check out The Naked Gun when it’s out on streaming. I’m still laughing even watching the promos!
I know… and eating is not the only suspect.
I sleep walk and hide things, then can’t find them the next day.
For years Norm accused me of stealing his pens. That was ridiculous.
Then one day. I was cleaning out a deep closet, and way at the back, I found a candy tin I didn’t know was there. It was full of his pens.
LOL, it’s funny, although could be dangerous. It seems to be stress related.
Love the promos. Okay, the band below me is palying. They are so good. Think I’ll go dance a bit!
xoxoxoxo
OMGeee… you’re stealing your hubby’s pens too, LOL!! That is crazy, girl!! But hey, at least you have an excuse, you’re not a kleptomania, which I know some people have that they can’t control.
Btw, I just realized your hubby’s name is Norm and mine is Ivan. Your name is Resa and so we both have four-letter name and marry our spouses with four-letter names, too! 😀
In any case, I sure hope you aren’t so stressed out that this sleep-eating thing keeps happening.
Happy dancing!! 💃 You have such a blessed life, dearest!
Hey Resa, yeah it isn’t something I would recommend you waste your time on unless you’re a super fan of the first film. Lol! I think Ben Stiller was the best part of this sequel, he’s still hilarious in that role.
I’ve never seen the original Cape Fear but I’m a fan of the Scorsese’s remake from the 1990s. I’m also a huge fan of another remake, The Departed, also directed by Scorsese. I think it’s one of the few remakes that’s better than the original.
Thanks Ted, and NOT a fan of the first “Happy G”. The first time I enjoyed Sandler was in the “Wedding Singer” and then again in “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan”.
The remake of Cape Fear is better than the original in some ways, mainly being slightly more explicit about the child/adult/sex aspect.
However. Robert Mitchum as Cady in the original is really terrifying.
I really like Scorsese’s “The Departed”, but haven’t seen the original.
Lolita is another close call, comparing the original and remake.
Hey Ted, your review is 100% spot on. Not even sure how I managed to come across this and watch it till the end ;-). The second half really goes downhill. And I was hoping to all get out that once Happy has his comeback he’d get rid of the good-grief awful grizzly bear beard but no such luck..
Hey Becky, yeah I get the feeling Sandler and his co-screenwriters ran out of ideas for the second half of the movie and just pull in cameos and silly stuff to finish the story. I mean Sandler signed a massive deal with Netflix, so he has to come up with something and anything for this sequel. Lol!