Happy Gilmore (1996)
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A failed hockey player with a powerful swing discovers he has a unique talent for golf and must compete in a tournament to save his grandmother's home.
The story
Happy Gilmore is a boorish, failed ice hockey player who discovers he possesses a unique talent for golf, specifically an unorthodox slapshot-style swing that can drive a ball 400 yards. When he learns that his grandmother, Anna, owes the IRS a significant amount of money and faces foreclosure on her home, Happy decides to enter the Waterbury Open. By winning the tournament, he hopes to secure a large cash reward and a spot on the PGA Tour. To compete, he teams up with Chubbs Peterson, a former pro who becomes his mentor, and hires a homeless man named Otto to serve as his caddy.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Happy Gilmore, a hockey player with a short temper, discovers his powerful swing allows him to hit golf balls 400 yards. To save his grandmother's house from the IRS, he enters the Waterbury Open and wins, earning a spot on the PGA Tour with his caddy, Otto. While his unconventional style and antics make him a fan favorite, his lack of etiquette and outbursts draw scrutiny. He eventually receives help from public relations head Virginia Venit, with whom he becomes involved. His primary rival, the arrogant Shooter McGavin, tries to sabotage him by hiring a heckler. After a series of conflicts, including a fight with Bob Barker, Happy secures a sponsorship deal. During a high-stakes auction for the house, Shooter outbids him, leading to a deal: if Happy wins the Tour Championship, Shooter must return the house. In the final match, despite interference from a heckler and a falling television tower, Happy uses a Rube Goldberg-style maneuver to sink the winning putt. He wins the championship, secures the house, and celebrates with his friends.
- First release year
- 1996
- Runtime (minutes)
- 92
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Dennis Dugan
- Writers
- Tim Herlihy · writer; Adam Sandler · writer
- Cast and characters
- Adam Sandler · Happy Gilmore; Christopher McDonald · Shooter McGavin; Julie Bowen · Virginia Venit; Carl Weathers · Derick "Chubbs" Peterson; Frances Bay · Anna Gilmore; Allen Covert · Otto; Richard Kiel · Mr. Larson; Dennis Dugan · Doug Thompson; Joe Flaherty · Donald Floyd
- Genres
- sports comedy
- Themes
- underdog story; determination
- Tone and mood
- comedy; juvenile
- Premise and plot tags
- sports; comedy; golf
- Franchise connections
- Happy Gilmore
- Reception
- The film was a commercial success and developed a cult following, particularly within the golf community, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 66% · review count: 61; Metacritic · score: 31 · scale: 100 · review count: 14; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- MTV Movie Award · Best Fight · win
- Production trivia
- The character of Chubbs Peterson's missing hand is an in-joke referencing Carl Weathers' role in Predator.; The film was shot entirely at locations in British Columbia.; The 'Happy Gilmore swing' is often imitated by professional golfers, including Pádraig Harrington.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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