Happy Gilmore
A hot-tempered hockey hopeful crashes the polished professional golf circuit with an outrageous swing and a desperate mission to save his grandmother’s home.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- witty
- juvenile
- lazy sunday
- sports movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film's juvenile Adam Sandler shtick uneven, though some praised its energetic performance and standout comic set pieces.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Happy brings a hockey player's aggression and running swing into the highly formal world of professional golf, ridiculing its expectations and social codes.
Happy's explosive reactions, fights, and inability to suppress his hockey mentality are central sources of both conflict and humor.
Happy's struggle against wealthy golf favorite Shooter McGavin foregrounds class differences and opposing ideas of who belongs on the tour.
Happy's walking or running approach to the ball and powerful drive function as the film's defining visual gag and cultural afterimage.
Films like Happy Gilmore, and why
Caddyshack
Broad physical comedy, abrasive outsider protagonist, and sports-world satire centered on an unconventional competitor.
The Waterboy
Underdog sports comedy combining comic aggression, class friction, and a determined amateur pursuing unlikely success.
The Benchwarmers
Juvenile comedic style, outsider ambition, and an irreverent approach to competitive sports share strong audience appeal.
Movie Details
- Director
- Dennis Dugan
- Release Date
- 1996-02-16
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (3487)
Cast
- Adam Sandler
- Julie Bowen
- Christopher McDonald
- Frances Bay
- Carl Weathers
- Allen Covert
- Robert Smigel
- Bob Barker
- Richard Kiel
- Dennis Dugan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Happy Gilmore about?
- A hot-tempered hockey hopeful crashes the polished professional golf circuit with an outrageous swing and a desperate mission to save his grandmother’s home.
- What is Happy Gilmore like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Happy Gilmore as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Happy Gilmore violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Happy Gilmore as mild.
- What did critics think of Happy Gilmore?
- Critics broadly found the film's juvenile Adam Sandler shtick uneven, though some praised its energetic performance and standout comic set pieces.
- Which films are like Happy Gilmore?
- Films with a similar feel include Caddyshack, The Waterboy, and The Benchwarmers.
- How long is Happy Gilmore?
- Happy Gilmore runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Happy Gilmore?
- In United States, Happy Gilmore streams on Philo, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Roku Premium Channel.
