Happy Gilmore 2
Film
With comedic timing as strong as ever, Adam Sandler revives the long-lost beloved Happy Gilmore to collectively take us all back into that "Happy Place". This time, instead of Julie Bowen's Virginia lying back in lingerie holding pitchers of beer, Sandler provides a fantasy fit for the 30-year gap between Happy Gilmore and the new semi-retired Happy Gilmore 2. Featuring a nurse holding up a "Low Cholesterol" sign, Happy yucking it up while sitting on the toilet, and more, Happy Gilmore 2 much like the new "Happy Place" is an age-adjusted sequel that's nostalgic and whimsical at heart. Yet amidst all the silly Sandler humor that is bound to bring a smile to fans' faces, therein lies a beautiful self-reflection of the star's career, the importance and impact his real-life family has had on him.
A lot's happened since Happy wrestled the golden jacket from the grips of Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) way back in 1996. He won five more jackets-while getting back the one McGavin subsequently tried to wrestle away-retired to spend time with his wife Virginia and their five children, had a personal tragedy unfold, turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism, got into hot water with the legal system, and lo and behold returned to the world of golf once again. If you think I moved through all those life updates quickly, then you'll likely be shocked to hear all of those events unfold in the first third of Happy Gilmore 2, making its 114-minute runtime at times feel like a slog.
However, Kyle Newachek (of the Workaholics quartet) delivers a solid level of direction. One that's sole focus orbits around the comedic prowess of Sandler, and the gargantuan amount of cameos and callbacks to the film's predecessor. Some of these surprise appearances work extremely well, boosted by Sandler and Tim Herlihy's hilarious screenplay that hits all the sweet spots. Bad Bunny or Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio steals the show as Happy's golf-challenged caddie, showcasing his comedy chops extremely well. Golf legends such as Jack Nicklaus and John Daly each relish in their small yet substantial moments, and there's even a hilarious reference to Scottie Scheffler's arrest. But outside of the golf world, the cameos can prove to be a gratuitous mess of absurdity, halting the fun momentum of Happy's return. Margaret Qualley, Eric Andre and Martin Herlihy play an amateur golfing trio opposite of Happy prior to his comeback tour and while the three of them are enjoyable in their respective crafts, the chemistry and shoehorned appearance completely derails the moment. On the other hand, while the litany of professional golfers throughout Happy Gilmore 2-seriously there's too many to name individually-aren't the best actors, their presence and roles (no matter how small) work as a love letter to the sport that started it all when Happy picked up that club 30 years ago, just to prove some movers wrong and win a couple bucks.
When you mix that with Benny Safdie's villain role, an energy drink magnate starting his outrageous golf league that feels like a complete rebuke of whatever the hell Mr. Beast is doing to the NBA, Happy Gilmore 2 feels much more grounded than just a slapstick guy-gets-hit-in-the-balls-with-a-golf-ball shtick.
Of course with Sandler's real life family playing various roles, his daughter Sunny Sandler plays Happy's daughter Vienna who wants to be a dancer, his wife Jackie Sandler is her dance instructor, and his other daughter Sadie Sandler plays Charlotte, a woman in rehab with Happy, the bigger picture of Happy Gilmore 2 takes shape. All the nostalgic bits and millennial humor are fun, but from a bird's eye view, Sandler's latest film feels like a real reflection of not just Happy Gilmore, but all the zany characters he's brought to life over the decades of his career, and all the friends he's made and brought along. Yet most importantly, there are tender callouts to Sandler's family, such as Charlotte simply telling Happy, "you remind me of my dad," making one think that being a husband and a dad is his favorite character to play.
Nobody is going to be calling Happy Gilmore 2 a prestige legacy sequel by any means; it most certainly has its shortcomings. But that's fine, nobody was expecting it to be, or wanting it to be. Sometimes, you just need a joke that'll make you groan, smile, or laugh. That's precisely what Sandler does, even 30 years later, he's still able to bring us along to a "Happy Place."
Froth
Happy Gilmore 2 is big, loud, and full of in your face jokes and cameos each to varying levels of success, warranting a drink equally as rambunctious. Well, that and equally as hilarious. Fast Fashion Brewing is just the brewery to provide a well named beer for such an occasion! Their catalog often boasts some great food-named beers like their classic Thin Crust Pizza, Fish Food, Burger Party, the list goes on and on, stirring the stomach through such name recognition. Then comes their delightfully boisterous DDH IPA, Stoned and Starving. Aptly named, no? It jumps right in your face with a solid 6.8% ABV that doesn't necessarily come off as boozy but you'll feel it for sure. But just like a crisp chip over a bunker-not that I would know such rushes of success while golfing-Stoned and Starving is a fresh breath of relief, a welcome dosage of "is this real life?" Because Fast Fashion really has brewed up a sensational beer. Its slightly opaque appearance makes it feel semi-hazy but it drinks like a true IPA. Blasts of citrus with hints of peach and berries from the trio of Motueka, Strata and Cashmere hops make for a maelstrom of complimentary flavors. The dry hopping gives it a little more resinous and floral properties that give a great backbone to yet another wonderful Fast Fashion beer.
