Almost thirty years after Happy Gilmore came along and redefined what sports comedies should look and feel like, Adam Sandler is back at it on the green, with a sequel titled Happy Gilmore 2. The sequel by Netflix presents the situation 29 years later, and although it is not likely that it will capture the hearts of a new generation of moviegoers, it certainly brings loyal fans a swing down memory lane.
To the children who grew up quoting lines of the 1996 cult classic, this long-awaited sequel introduces the familiar faces, old jokes, and even new laughs, though, to be fair, probably not as many as in the first film. However, although it connects with emotion and humor among the audiences who still recall that the price is wrong, the movie does not score all the targets.
Where Happy Left And Where He Takes It Up Again
The movie Happy Gilmore 2 does not waste any time setting the stage. We come to find out that the now older but a father of five, Happy has indeed lived a happy (pun intended) life since his conquest of his golf tour nemesis Shooter McGavin in the first film. He gets married to Virginia (portrayed once again by Julie Bowen), has a prosperous golf career, and a family. It is an idyll follow-up – until it ain’t
In one of the dark, humorous tragedies, Virginia has been unknowingly killed by one of the wayward tee shots of Happy. The incident in the film occurs before it even begins, and it shocks the mood as much as the ball that ended her life. Happy is devastated and backs out of the world of sport where he made his money and fame. He wallows in a rut, exchanging golf greens for liquor bottles, and ends up living in an apartment about to fall down with his little daughter, Vienna, who is portrayed by no less than the real-life daughter of Sandler, Sunny Sandler.
A New Inspiration: Legacy and Love
Unlike the first film, in which Happy is on a crazy rescue mission of the house of his crazily insane grandmother, Happy Gilmore 2 presents us with a mission that is of another quality. This is not a saving of property, but it is about creating a future for his daughter. Upon learning that her teacher of ballet in Vienna, played by Jackie Sandler (wife of Adam Sandler), is amazingly good, and stands a chance of attending a ballet school in Paris, Happy is propelled to take action.
In a bid to pay the tuition, Happy cleans up his neglected golf clubs in a bid to come back. His comeback into the golf scene is not at all easy. When a drunken fun in a golf cart results in a DUI, Happy has even less to look forward to than before. It is then that he is approached by a boisterous energy drink businessman who proposes to him a spot in a rogue golf circuit that aims at upsetting the established PGA format.
Sound familiar? Not by coincidence, the movie satirically parallels real-life scandals, such as the LIV Golf vs. the PGA tour drama, and it should not be lost on the brunt of sports devotees.
Well-known and popular characters
Provided you like Happy Gilmore and have been a fan of it long enough, then seeing the parade of returning faces and jokes like it is a warm hug. Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) is back, and he is not cocky but is scheming. The rematch fight of Happy and Shooter is even there, this time happening in a cemetery in a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the famous fight between the original and a game show host Bob Barker.
Actors who have since died since the original are also honored by the movie as well and a tender nod is given to the legacy of Carl Weathers (Chubbs). And the non-playing roles? The greatest who knows: Kevin Nealon, Jon Lovitz, Rob Schneider, and Steve Buscemi are all back to show quirky cameos in honor of the diehard fan.
In the meantime, there are fresher faces, such as Bad Bunny as the wisecracking caddie to Happy Oscar. It is a surprise with his unpredictable charm and exceptionally timely moments of comedy, as his scenes are some of the funniest in the film.
Stardom Cameos and Golf Gods A-Plenty
As usual, Happy Gilmore 2 does not spare a pinch of stardom. Legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples, or Lee Trevino (the latter was in the original, too), balancing out with the current superstars, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, or Jordan Spieth. It also has blink-and-you-will-miss-it moments with John Daly and even Scottie Scheffler making the jab at his real-life situation in the 2024 PGA Championship.
Celebrities in all sports and pop culture jump in, too, whether they are a star of the NFL, Travis Kelce, or the star of the WNBA, Kelsey Plum. Even podcast culture is represented through Call Her Daddy and other online sources that take place with rather forced attempts to keep up with the younger audience.
The Core of the Movie, Golf, Development, and Generational Change
What goes beyond the series of references and reminisces in Happy Gilmore 2 is the existence of time that alters everything, even sports. Where the first film was about an oddball who comes in to turn the elitist world of golf on its ear, now the sequel is about Happy being the old guard being shot out by a new breed of long ball golfers, and a crop of social media influencers.
Interestingly enough, the movie does not mock the new age, but on the contrary it kind of protects the traditions of golf. Happy does not just seek to use money to finance his daughter to chase her dreams of becoming a ballet dancer; the plot gets deeper as he seeks to defend the game he once laid waste to. This theme is well interwoven into the script, which was co-written again by longtime collaborator Tim Herlihy, and this helps the sequel so that it may seem like a true, however imperfect, love letter to the sport of golf.
It has emotional moments of father-daughter time, an important life lesson segment, and even what amounts to a moment of reckoning as Happy must reluctantly acknowledge that his new life as a disruptor of the world of golf is not over. However, when the future of Vienna comes into question, the thought of regaining his former glory is replaced with trying to get the next generation to have a dream as equally ambitious.
Where It Falls Short
Not all the elements of Happy Gilmore 2 hit the spots. The movie is full of nepotism- all the people who are close to Sandler in his and their lives appear in the movie, and these may be irritating to a section of the audience. There is a third act that is bloated when the resolution that should be quick is drawn out. The comedy, in general, holds up, but there are moments where you want to cover your eyes, either because the movie tries to be too on the nose with typical social media elements or simply because relevant product placements were forced.
Nonetheless, these holes do not bring the movie off track. The chances are that you may already be a fan, and you are watching through this sequel, and even those who are not are unlikely to press play.
Ending: Is the Happy Gilmore 2 Worthy of Your Time?
To those who enjoyed the first film, Happy Gilmore 2 provides enough nostalgia, comedy, and pathos. Adam Sandler shows once again that he can make us laugh, and also teaches us some lessons about aging, legacy, and the beautiful complexity of second chances. It is a tribute to that, with some loving care toward the original film, and some courageous storytelling on time and the way people, and even sports, change.
Is it ideal? No. Will it be loved by newcomers? Probably not. Could this be the reunion fans live for when they still yell, tap it in at the mini-golf, or just laugh when they think about a one-handed coach?
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