I was 15 when I first saw Happy Gilmore back in 1996, and I laugh just as much today as I did back then when I first saw it. I am a massive Adam Sandler fan, and this is the best movie of his career in my opinion. When you consider how highly I hold many of his other movies, that is saying something. With Happy Gilmore 2 coming out in 2025, that was all the excuse I needed to watch this 90s comedy classic again.
Where to Watch Happy Gilmore
Happy Gilmore was released on February 16, 1996. You can stream the film from Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
The Movie Review
You know, I would actually rate Happy Gilmore as my favorite comedy of the 90s. My trifecta of 90s comedies is Happy Gilmore, Dumb and Dumber, and Baseketball, in that order. I get that Adam Sandler is not for everyone, but if I had to get a non Adam Sandler fan to give one of his movies a try because I think it is more than just another “Adam Sandler” movie, it would be Happy Gilmore every time.
The Plot of Happy Gilmore
The premise of the movie is about a hockey player called Happy Gilmore. Happy sucks at skating and every aspect of hockey, but he has the best slapshot around. Happy also has a major anger issue; he is the only person in hockey history to take off his skate and try to stab someone with it!
Happy lives with his grandma, who has not paid taxes, so she is going to lose the house! In a weird turn of events, that involve Will Sasso, Happy discovers that his epic slapshot, translates to having an amazing drive with a golfclub. This leads to Happy trying to make some money hustling people at the driving range, which catches the attention of a golfing legend called Chubs, played by Carl Weathers. I also love Carl Weathers and his role as Chubs is up there with Apollo Creed and Dylan from Predator… and also the god of Basketball in Regular Show.
Happy Gilmore’s Golf Journey
Realizing that Happy has an amazing talent, Chubs takes him under his wing and tries to teach him the finer details of golf. Happy’s rough attitude, though, is not exactly what the golf world is used to! Chubs gets Happy to try and become a pro so that he can win money to get his grandmothers house back.
In addition to Chubs, Happy is helped by the PR lady of the tour, Virginia, who is played by Julie Bowen. Happy develops a rivalry with a hotshot golfer called Shooter McGavin, played by the awesome Christopher McDonald. Shooter is tipped to become the next golf champion, and he is driven insane by Happy’s rise and his lack of what he deems respect for golf.
Why Happy Gilmore Still Holds Up
This movie is just awesome in every regard. There are so many great scenes and lines. Happy fighting Bob Barker, Happy and Virginia dancing on the ice, Ben Stiller in an awesome role, Happy and his “happy place”, the tap, tap, taperoo! I could write a whole article on all the great stuff that happens in this movie. I have been watching this movie, probably at least on a yearly basis, for the last 30 years, and it has never gotten old. The perfect kind of movie to watch when I cannot be bothered to scroll through a streaming service for ages, or if I have had a rough day.
Upcoming 4K Release
As I write this, coming up in August 2025, Kino are releasing a 4K version of Happy Gilmore and you better believe that I already have it ordered! Apart from the new 4K restoration, it has some neat new features as well, so I am very excited about picking this up. I just wish that they could have gotten Adam Sandler to do some stuff for it.
Final Thoughts
I will die on the hill that Happy Gilmore is a 90s classic, and it has aged like a fine wine. There is honestly not a single thing about this movie that I dislike. I will probably watch it at least on a yearly basis until I join Chubs and the one-eyed gator in waving to Happy from the great beyond in the sky! Also, be sure to check out Happy Gilmore 2, that movie is an unnecessary sequel that had no right being as good as it was!
