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Happy Gilmore

Happy Gilmore

Comedy · 1996

Failed hockey player-turned-golf whiz Happy Gilmore — whose unconventional approach and antics on the green courts the ire of rival Shooter McGavin — is determined to win a PGA tournament so he can save his granny's house with the prize money. Meanwhile, an attractive tour publicist tries to soften Happy's image.

Movie details

Happy Gilmore

“He doesn't play golf... he destroys it.”

1996 Comedy 1h 32m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

Failed hockey player-turned-golf whiz Happy Gilmore — whose unconventional approach and antics on the green courts the ire of rival Shooter McGavin — is determined to win a PGA tournament so he can save his granny's house with the prize money. Meanwhile, an attractive tour publicist tries to soften Happy's image.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Happy Gilmore?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Uncle Drew recruits a squad of older basketball players to return to the court to compete in a tournament.

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A pastor preoccupied with writing the perfect sermon fails to realize that his wife is having an affair and his children are up to no good.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Dennis Dugan

Written by

Tim Herlihy · Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler

Happy Gilmore

Christopher McDonald

Christopher McDonald

Shooter McGavin

Julie Bowen

Julie Bowen

Virginia Venit

Frances Bay

Frances Bay

Grandma

Carl Weathers

Carl Weathers

Chubbs Peterson

Allen Covert

Allen Covert

Otto

Robert Smigel

Robert Smigel

IRS Agent

Court is in session

Put Happy Gilmore on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Popcorn Loyalist

“It owes the canon nothing.”

The movie pursues immediacy and audience pleasure without begging institutions to certify its worth.

The prosecution The Big-Idea Head

“Easy pleasure, short half-life.”

It moves efficiently through the moment but offers little reason to keep arguing once the credits end.