A character gains an endorsement from Subway, resulting in frequent and unrelenting product placement of Subway subs in the form of hats, T-shirts, signs, commercials, and a scene in which two of the main characters eat at a Subway restaurant. The various golf tournaments are sponsored by AT&T, Michelob, Visa, and Pepsi. Players use Odyssey golf clubs and Top Flite gear. The lead wears a Boston Brewers jersey.
Language
a lot
Frequent profanity: "f--k," "piss," "jacka--," "dips--t," "goddammit," "a--hole," "s--t," "bastard." While losing, the lead character goes on a foul-mouthed tirade on national television where every other word is bleeped out.
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Happy Gilmore frequently resorts to violence when he loses his temper, portrayed comically. At various points, he gets into a fistfight (resulting in a few people being knocked unconscious), throws a man through a glass door, hits another with a golf ball, and breaks a bottle to threaten someone. A minor character is run over by a car and smashed by an air conditioner unit. A menacing alligator targets a character, biting off his hand (off screen) and fighting another in a swamp. A character is shot in the head by a nail gun, though no blood is visible.
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Characters drink beer, wine, and martinis. A caddy wears a hat that holds a six-pack of beer with plastic tubes going from the beer to his mouth. Cigar smoking.
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When asked to go to his "happy place," a character has a fantasy of a woman on a bed, dressed in lingerie, and holding two pitchers of beer. A main character autographs women's cleavage. A bare butt is shown twice -- played for humor.
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Happy Gilmore is a loving grandson who begins to learn to control his emotions. His grandmother is a compassionate role model who wants the best for Happy, above all else. The tour manager (Virginia) and Happy's coach (Chubbs) form a team to teach Happy bravery and courage. They also show him how to channel his frustration for good.
Positive Messages
a little
Though blanketed in lowbrow humor, this movie shows the importance of controlling your temper, fighting for your family, and having the strength to try new things. Teamwork and courage are driving forces in the film.
Diverse Representations
a little
Happy's grandmother is independent and offers a well-balanced wisdom to Happy's shenanigans. Virginia, the golf tour's PR manager, encourages Happy to find a way to channel his anger for good. But both women exist solely to push Happy to new heights. Racial diversity is anchored by golf coach Chubbs Peterson (Carl Weathers, who's Black), the only non-White named character in the film. Chubbs' unfortunate run-in with an alligator leads him to use a wooden prosthetic hand that's constantly the butt of jokes (falling off, often being damaged, etc). Happy hires an unhoused person to play his caddy; Happy's wealth appears to help his caddy, who later wears fancy clothes and has a neat haircut. A little person randomly rides a tricycle and a toy horse around during Happy's fantasy. The film was written and directed by a team of three White men, including Sandler himself.
Parents need to know that Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) is a hot-headed athlete who learns to control his temper for those he loves. The biggest red flag for this movie is the swearing and violent behavior, resulting in a number of skirmishes, including an extended (comic) fight scene with real-life game show host Bob Barker. The two brutally pound on each other until one is eventually knocked unconscious. The main character also threatens another golfer with the shards of a broken beer bottle. Strong language includes "f--k" and "s--t." Women have positive roles but exist solely to push the male lead's story along. Disability is used for humor, including a golfer's prosthetic hand being broken and a little person riding a tricycle appearing randomly in a character's fantasy sequence. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Really good movie highly recommended to watch it might have some making out scenes but overall is a good movie and really funny but some dirty-minded jokes
What's the Story?
What happens when you take an obsessed hockey player who "holds the only league record of trying to stab somebody with his skate" and throw him in with tranquil golfers? Adam Sandler is in one of his funniest roles as HAPPY GILMORE, a man with a hard, aggressive core and a surprisingly sweet center. After hearing that his grandmother has lost her house due to owing back taxes, Gilmore must come up with the money to save it. Despite his boiling temper, he has a hockey player's thunderous slap shot that makes him a natural at golf. Gilmore, seeking alternative ways to raise money, surges up the golf circuit with the top prize in sight -- if Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald), the tour pro, doesn't stop him first.
Second only to Billy Madison, this 1990s classic stands out as one of Sandler's best works. Happy Gilmore pokes fun at the rather "stiff" golf world and spices it up with a character who makes Floyd Mayweather look level-headed. Anyone and everything sends Gilmore into rage. For anyone who's seen Sandler's other early work (SNL or Billy Madison), the film's humor becomes quite predictable, but that familiarity might be exactly what viewers are looking for.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Sandler's character in Happy Gilmore. His best friends include an ex-pro golfer, an unhoused man, an amiable public relations woman, and his grandmother. Do these sweet-natured friendships and altruistic deeds make up for Gilmore's violent behavior? Why, or why not?
What do you think Happy gains by trying something new? What do you think will happen to his dreams of being a hockey player?
Why have Adam Sandler's films stayed so popular? What about his humor feels timeless?
MPAA explanation:
language and some comic sexuality
Last updated:
August 24, 2024
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