It's not Caddyshack, but it's quality comedy

Rating: 8/10 (29 July 2006)

Happy Gilmore is Adam Sandler's only standout performance in a long list of half-assed, unfunny comedies. But this is it, the real deal. This is the film that all other Sandler films make references to, quote and celebrate, in case you ever wondered where phrases like "It's all in the hips" (as said in Little Nicky) and "You eat pieces of sh*t for breakfast?" (quoted everywhere) came from. Well, Happy Gilmore is the birth of these phrases as well as the birth of a comedic star. It is also just all-around solid comedic entertainment and a crash-course in golf. Or rather, 101 Things Not To Do On The Golf Course.
Adam Sandler is Happy. But this is only his character's ironic name, because Happy is really quite angry and extremely frustrated at getting nowhere in his amateur hockey career. He slips into golf by what can only be described as a fluke, and is able to take out his aggressions on the golf-court, setting records for longest drives ever as he aggressively hits the ball. The anger he has is advantageous here, but a big problem when it comes to putting - and an even bigger problem when it comes to dealing with smug competitors like Shooter McGavin (superbly played by Christopher McDonald).
Happy Gilmore thus follows Sandler on the golf-court, where 90% of the film takes place. Happy is one of those rare characters in films that you desperately pull for and end up hating all of his competitors and enemies. In this way, Happy Gilmore is a very effective film as it establishes a hero-feeling with its main character, in spite of his flaws. I can't think of many other films in which I've wanted the lead character to win as much as in this one. On top of that device, you have such gems like Adam Sandler beating up old man Bob Barker on the green, Adam Sandler screaming at a golf ball asking it "Are you too good for your home?", and Christopher McDonald in one of the most hilarious and subtlety comedic performances of the 1990s.
So Happy Gilmore is the Godfather of all Sandler films, as well as the only truly good one. It borrows somewhat from Caddyshack in the goofy golf sense so it can't be considered truly original, but it IS original when it comes to Happy Madison productions.
8/10