Originally published at: Adam Sandler has officially passed the mantle of Happy Gilmore down to a real-life teenage golfer | Boing Boing
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Sandler annoys me usually, but he did do some relatively funny and decent films right around the late 90’s/early 2000’s that I still find enjoyable. Happy is one of them. I’d include Mr. Deeds, The Wedding Singer, and even The Waterboy. Most of the rest of his filmography I can take or leave, mostly leave. He’s at his best when he tempers his acerbic nature with a character who is generally good natured and well meaning.
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Seems to me that his work has done much to contribute to the en-stupid-ification of humor, esp Yankistani humor.
I was raised in a rather strict religion, with reduced exposure to popular culture. As a result, I did not see a movie in a theater until I was 15 years old.
I, along with two of my sisters, snuck into a movie theater, and, having not seen any of the current movie trailers, picked a random movie based on the posters in the lobby.
That movie was Billy Madison, which was the funniest goddamn thing I had ever seen. I was not used to random, wacky high-jinx, so this film was laser targeted to my adolescent brain’s humor center.
I have not watched the movie in quite a long time, so I don’t know if it holds up or not, but it definitely hold a place in my mind as a formative experience of cultural freedom.
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He’s certainly among the folks pursuing that sort of humor. But when he tones it down and goes with a more “down to earth guy dealing with obnoxious smucks, sometimes profanely,” he does alright. Happy is very much in that vein, and Mr. Deeds is really quite heart warming at times. I mean, he’s a pizza shop owner who keeps trying to write a Hallmark card they’ll publish, which I found adorable. He was never stupid in that film, just perhaps a bit naive about everyone’s intentions, but his general good nature and kindness wins people over.
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So, a low-rent version of
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Is SNL a “franchise”? Isn’t it just a TV show.
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If you consider the number of films that started as sketches on SNL I think its easy to consider it a franchise.
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Ever seen Punch-Drunk Love?
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I don’t like Adam Sandler and I tried to watch that one on account of the director but no, I couldn’t do it.
Actually “don’t like” is too mild. I despise him and I don’t understand people who are amused by that stupid shit.
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He’s pretty good in (and not the star of) “Shakes the Clown”, a very strange movie.
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I’m not comparing the two actors, but even DeNiro has been in some cringey, or plain bad films.
“Happy Gilmore”, whatever it’s problems may be, is still a legitimately funny movie with some great little gags and running jokes. Most of his other comedies I can take or leave.
And Sandler has proven he can do serious acting too.
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