Happy Gilmore (1996)

Happy Gilmore 2, the sequel to one of Adam Sandler's most famous films, rejoins the eponymous Happy thirty years into the future. While Happy's golf career was successful for nearly 20 years, his life took a turn for the worse after a stray golf ball (which he hit) killed his wife, leaving him as an alcoholic father of five children.

Now, 11 years after his wife's death, Happy is forced to get back into golfing for the same reason he started in the first place‑to help his family afford the things that matter to them. While in 1996 this was his grandmother's house, in 2025 Happy hopes to send his youngest child (and only daughter) to an elite ballet school. This coincides with the start of Maxi Golf, a silly, high energy version of golf led by influencer and energy drink CEO Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie). Happy and the "real" golfers must win a competition against the Maxi golfers in order to preserve golf as we know it.

There's been so much bad in recent years that it's comforting to be able to turn on the television and watch two hours of stupid humor crafted into an actually watchable film. In the ways that the original Happy Gilmore was a satire about the types of people who play hockey and those that play golf, Happy Gilmore 2 takes on the attention economy and rise of Twitch streaming. Even so, it manages to handle this and other politically charged topics in a way that feels light and makes for an enjoyable watch. It's a film that allows you to detach from the real world for a little bit. There is so much joy to be found in a mid-budget film that features a cameo from a famous actor or athlete in nearly every scene. It's a return to the late 90s in the best way possible.

That being said, there is a wealth of surprisingly deep topics in this film. While it's perfectly possible to mindlessly watch and enjoy, going beneath the surface provides insight into what, exactly, the Happy Madison Production Company was doing with this sequel. From the casting through the climax, Happy Gilmore 2 is the perfect comedy to take you back to a simpler time.