brainless fun

Rating: Null/10 (26 April 2002)

Sandler is a thirty-one-year-old southern waterboy with a bad stutter who lives with his overprotective mama and has spent his entire life being tormented by those around him. One day he finally releases his anger, and discovers that he has a knack for aggressive tackling. With the help of a dispirited coach, he unexpectedly turns into a fearsome linebacker and college football star. The premise sounds incredibly silly on paper—and in fact it is—but if you don't think about it too much there are an abundance of clever, funny gags, a likable cast, and some effectively amusing cameos. Sandler is lots of fun, and the film is a great showcase for Bates as his needy mother. ***