Slap Happy Gilmore!

Happy is introduced to us through a brief family film montage of imagery explained by his congenial narration. Raised primarily by his beloved Grandma and given a fanatical love of the game by his father, Happy lives to play hockey and he's got one wicked slap shot... such a shame he can't stay upright in ice skates! The turbulence of his formative years has left him with some anger management issues, but he restrains himself admirably when he finds out Grandma is about to loose everything after years of being too broke to pay her taxes.

Happy's got to make some money fast if he's going to save the family home that his Grandfather built. When he finds that his trademark slap shot translates into a wicked long game on the golf course, he tries to capitalize on this by taking bets at the local driving range. Fortunately for Happy, this is where he meets Chubbs, a former golf hotshot who was forced into the position of instructor when he lost his hand to a gator while touring in Florida.

Chubbs is the ideal coach for Happy and he helps him to begin harnessing his ferocious temper. Before you know it, Happy is changing the face of golf to a rowdy,in-you-face, potentially full-contact event that bored fans have never dreamt of! Chubbs and Happy are on tour competing for the big money, but the vile Shooter McGavin is determinded to win his coveted gold jacket this year. He'll accept nothing less than first place and if he has to humilate and emotionally crush Gilmore along the way... so much the better!

Thank goodness Happy doesn't know how much trouble Grandma has been having at that personal care facilitywhile he battles for their home. That might have really broken his concentration! Can Happy stand up under the stress once he looses Chubbs' wise guidance? We're rooting for ya, Happy!

My Thoughts:

Adam Sandler can be hit or miss for me. I find Happy to be a riotous laugh-fest of good fun, and one of my top ten Sandler films without a doubt! The story is predictable and the characters simply drawn. What moves us through the experience so enjoyable is all in how it's told! If you don't enjoy Sandler's goofy and oft juvenile sense of humor then this one definitely wouldn't be for you.

Our ten-year old VHS tape finally gave out and I simply had to run out to snatch up a bare bones DVD copy to replace it! Our family enjoys watching Happy scream at his ball when he discovers troulbe handling his short game. "That's your home! Are you too good for your home?!" We even like the nice uncomplicated girl Gilmore finds along the way.

We're concerned about the "activities" at Grandma's new, and hopefully temporary, digs. We can't wait to see the sleazily humorous Shooter get his comeuppance, and if the truth be told... we even love watching Bob Barker take one more shot at Gilmore when he gets too mouthy!"Price is wrong, b*!vh!" is somehow rendered hilarious when uttered by Barker, the infamously pleasant and unflappable game show host.

If find myself quoting or referencing this film at oddly appropriate moment. I have found myself saying, "Go to your Happy place! Can you see the midget cowboy on more than one occasion. Laughter is the best medicine and I'mstill laughing. I can't recommend it higher than that!