Considering previous misbegotten sequels to Adam Sandler movies like Grown Ups 2 and Murder Mystery 2, I’m not fairly certain why it took the star three lengthy many years to fireplace up one for arguably his finest comedy and most memorable character, 1996’s Happy Gilmore. He even named his manufacturing firm after it for chrissakes. But now followers who’ve waited a really lengthy time for a second spherical with the indignant however all the time watchable movie golf icon get a candy payoff with Happy Gilmore 2.
Considering the largely upbeat outcomes right here I’m stunned Netflix held again critics till only a handful of hours earlier than the movie began streaming at midnight. There are greater than sufficient LOL moments and multitudes of big-name cameos, in addition to devotion to the unique and precisely what followers of each the primary movie — in addition to golf itself — will eat up. With the world a multitude proper now, innocuous enjoyable with good ‘ol Happy Gilmore is simply what we want. It might not be in a league with Caddyshack, the best golf comedy ever, nevertheless it’ll do.
What’s most necessary in making it work to the diploma it does is Sandler himself, who additionally produces and co-wrote the script with Tim Herlihy, who additionally teamed to jot down the 1996 unique. He by no means goes excessive, foolish because the conditions could be, however quite retains it grounded, and consider it or not with a semblance of a reputable setup for Happy circa 2025.
Plotwise, we meet Happy at an all-time low. The now 58-year-old who went to golf’s highest peak profitable title after title whereas being fortunately married and elevating a younger household of 4 boys, and at last even a woman, noticed all of it collapse round him when one in all his tee photographs by chance veered into the gang and killed his spouse (Julie Bowen, in briefly and later heavenly flashbacks), sending him right into a tailspin and alcoholic stupor. He now hasn’t picked up a membership in 10 years, had his home and Porsche repossessed, and is barely scraping by working in produce on the native grocery store.
Given recommendation as to how he may make $330,000 by one other as soon as troubled ex-golf champ John Daly, who winningly performs himself and lives in Happy’s storage, Happy decides out of desperation to rescue his tattered golf equipment and exit on the course to see if he nonetheless has it, not less than sufficient of it to compete in a senior Champions Tour event for a shot at some huge bucks.
The scenes as he joins three amateurs (Eric Andre, Martin Herlihy, Margaret Qualley) on the native hyperlinks turn into a hilarious comedy of errors as Happy performs worse than a first-timer, that’s till he will get his groove again by going to his “pleased place” mentally. This results in his becoming a member of the previous champions, and the scene at their dinner is a delight that includes cameos from legends like Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Fred Couples and on and on. His return to the circuit enjoying with present icons like Scottie Scheffler (who simply gained the British Open final weekend), Rory McElroy, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Will Zalatoris (very humorous) and extra can also be manna from heaven for golf freaks.
Complications set in with the emergence of the titular villain for golf purists, Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie), whose new creation, the tech-oriented Maxi Golf, threatens to wipe away 100 years of custom and alter the sport ceaselessly. Trying to unsuccessfully lure Happy into the fold, Frank turns into an actual nemesis and risk to the sport, thus organising a showdown for the large bucks between a staff of 5 prime PGA execs and 5 Maxi stars. When a golf cart catastrophe strikes Happy in the midst of a preliminary event to make the staff, he not solely loses the cash after being fined half 1,000,000 bucks, but in addition his probability to make the staff — that’s till the smug Billy (Haley Joel Osment) pronounces he’s really Maxi and thus his deserted spot goes by default to Happy, organising a golf match for the ages.
The forged right here is gigantic and consists of returnees from 1996 together with Ben Stiller because the slippery Hal, who now runs the AA (or Alkies) group Happy has joined to get off the bottle. There can also be the infamous previous foremost nemesis Shooter McGavin (Chris McDonald, in a fantastic reboot of his character), who wins launch from the psychological establishment simply in time to alter his previous methods.
Among highlights of the brand new forged (and casting director John Papsidera has achieved a fantastic job bringing this group collectively) is scene-stealer Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny as Oscar, the busboy- turned-caddy for Happy, and a few temporary appearances by SNL breakout Marcello Hernandez, and even Travis Kelce, who has a short memorable encounter with a bear after being painted with honey by Oscar in a dream sequence. The blink-and-you-miss-them cameos are virtually dizzying and dropped in continually breaking the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh wall for some nonsensical enjoyable, which is all this movie goals to be. In this regard, Sandler has turn into a sort of new-age Bob Hope who as soon as even had Arnold Palmer play by because it have been in his Nineteen Sixties African safari comedy Call Me Bwana.
In a pleasant contact, Sandler and firm pay homage to a few of the now deceased members of the 1996 movie together with a intelligent combat scene in a cemetery proper above Bob Barker’s grave, in addition to to Carl Weathers’ Chubb, Frances Bay’s Grandma and Richard Kiel’s Mr. Larson. Oh, and did I point out Morris the alligator? RIP Morris. You will not be forgotten.
Happy Gilmore 2 is dominated by flying golf equipment and balls, nonstop slapstick, gag after gag — with many working — but in addition some real emotion. None of this has to make sense, it simply has to entertain us for a few hours, and on that scoreboard this sequel will make you fairly pleased certainly.
Producers are Sandler, Herlihy, Jack Giarraputo and Robert Simonds.
Title: Happy Gilmore 2
Distributor: Netflix
Release date: July 25, 2025
Director: Kyle Newacheck
Screenwriters: Adam Sandler and Tim Herlihy
Cast: Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Chris McDonald, Benny Safdie, Ben Stiller, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, John Daly, Haley Joel Osment, Jackie Sandler, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Philip Schneider, Ethan Cutkosky, Conor Sherry, Kevin Nealon, Lavell Crawford, Kym Whitley, John Farley, Eric André, Martin Herlihy, Margaret Qualley, Keegan Bradley, Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Jack Nicklaus, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, Will Zalatoris, Verne Lundquist, Austin Post, Marcello Hernandez, Travis Kelce, Eminem, Blake Clark, Oliver Hudson, Reggie Bush, Nikki Garcia, Becky Lynch, Tim Herlihy, Nelly Korda, Nancy Lopez, Boban Mfarjanovic, Paige Spiranac, Dan Patrick, Stephen A. Smith, Ken Jennings, Cam’ron, Scott Mescudi
Rating: PG-13
Running time: 1 hr 54 minutes
Content Source: deadline.com