‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Review – Insanely Silly And Heartwarming Fun

Take this with a grain of salt, but upon closer analysis, Netflix’s Happy Gilmore 2 reveals a comedy that is smarter than it seems. For one, the original Happy Gilmore was about challenging the elitism of a stuffy, purist golf culture that needed a shake-up. A sort of lowbrow Caddyshack—if such a thing is possible—it was a blue-collar redemption story where talent and heart mattered more than etiquette.

Which brings me to my point about Happy Gilmore 2: it revives that same working-class story in a setting the titular character once brought to golf—a world that has now gotten way, and I mean way, out of hand. Sandler is back with a sensibility only he can bring to the screen. This time, however, he has cleverly satirized commercialization and the modern evolution of golf. Particularly, the marketing of sports often clashes with tradition.

Oh, and the movie happens to be funny, insanely silly, and heartwarming fun.

The story picks up years after Happy Gilmore’s (Adam Sandler) successful golf career. He’s now married to the love of his life, Virginia (Modern Family’s Julie Bowen, reprising her role from the original—a recurring theme in the film). They have five kids together, including four rough-and-tumble boys. Their youngest, Vienna (You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’s Sunny Sandler), is an aspiring ballet dancer. Oh, and John Daly hilariously lives in Happy’s garage.

Happy wants to retire, but Virginia believes he won’t be—well, happy—without the game he loves. However, after a family tragedy, Happy quits golf, turns to drinking, and loses all his money. Happy now works at a grocery store to support his family (and apparently John Daly). That is, until Vienna accepts a prestigious ballet academy in Paris. Great, right? Well, hold on, because the tuition bill of over $300,000 is too much for them to afford.

That is, until Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie—Sandler, rewarding him for directing Uncut Gems) approaches Happy with the deal of a lifetime. The CEO of Maxi Energy Drink wants to sponsor a new kind of game: Maxi Golf. The vision resembles characters from a Mad Max movie, and the courses resemble gigantic mini golf on steroids. Frank wants to make Happy the face of his brand of chaos in a gentleman’s game. The real question is whether Happy will be able to find his stroke again to make his daughter’s dreams come true.

Happy Gilmore 2 was directed by Kyle Newacheck (What We Do in the Shadows). Working from a script from Sandler and Tim Herlihy, who cowrote such golden-age Sandler comedies as Billy Madison, The Waterboy, and The Wedding Singer. The movie tells a sweet story about family while honoring the original in multiple ways. For instance, all Happy’s Boys do the same shtick he did on the job when he was on the golf course. An underlying theme is the love for his wife, Virginia, showing the performer’s growth as a storyteller.

Many will point to an overemphasis on nods to the original and star cameos. However, new ones like Bad Bunny, John Daly, and Travis Kelce steal the scenes they are in. Also, Ben Stiller and Christopher McDonald are comedic gems reprising their roles. However, Sandler always makes his films a family affair. He brings in relatives of members who have passed away, while also using special effects to create poignant cameos for those who have passed on.

That is what makes Happy Gilmore 2 worth watching for the nostalgia factor alone, with Sandler bringing back everyone in some shape or form. For one, he returns to his comedic style, but also demonstrates his maturity by honoring those who gave him a helping hand. Not to mention the audience that always lent their support. The movie is a legacy sequel that is so much fun, you forget the controlled comedic chaos of it all, let go, and enjoy the experience for what it is.

Happy Gilmore 2 is now available to stream exclusively on Netflix.