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| Images Courtesy of Netflix |
Legacy
sequels are a dime a dozen, and Netflix is a graveyard for direct to
streaming throwaways and halfhearted attempts at nostalgia bait.
However, littered among the dead and forgotten are a handful of original
concepts and the occasional dose of the past that hits just right. Adam
Sandler collaborator Kyle Newacheck's Happy Gilmore 2 is
thankfully the latter. Fans of the original will find endless
throwbacks and a parade of cameos that somehow work when they should not.
The reason for this is simple, this is a film with a lot of heart.
It is 30 years later and Happy Gilmore has hit rock bottom. Beleaguered
with alcoholism and legal problems, he decides to reenter the Pro Golf circuit to
win enough money to send his daughter to an expensive dance academy in
France. What Happy does not know is that a battle for the soul of
professional golf is about to begin. Sandler cowrote the script with
Tim Herlihy. From the start, it is clear that this is a passion project
for Sandler and him; along with the cast and crew are having so much fun, the
imperfections are easily ignored. If there is a flaw, it is that the
treatment of Julie Bowen's character could be seen as Fridging, however, her
casting was hailed as a triumph as they did not choose a younger actress for
the role.
The cast is really the main course. As typical with most Netflix films, the technicals are moderate to low in quality, but the constant stream of cameos and insanity overshadows these deficiencies. Christopher McDonald steals the limelight with the return of his Shooter McGavin, while Benny Safdie and Hailey Joel Osment chew the cardboard scenery with their villains. Retired golfer John Daly has a hilarious part as a hermit who lives with Happy. There are other cameos and surprises that will delight fans of the first film throughout as well.
The story is surprisingly relevant, as a more modern approach to the sport seeks to extinguish the traditions of the 18-hole course, and Happy becomes a symbol of them, juxtaposing his outsider role in the original. The result is a genuinely funny romp that hits all the right notes without overstaying its welcome.
Now streaming on Netflix, Happy Gilmore 2 is not the next coming or even anything truly profound, however, as a sequel comedy to a raunchy original, it soars, and given the plethora of darkness in the world right now, a good laugh is perhaps the most potent form of light available.
--Kyle Jonathan