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"HAPPY GILMORE"
(1996) (Adam Sandler) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Mild None Moderate None Minor
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild Minor None Minor Moderate
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Moderate None Minor Mild Heavy


QUICK TAKE:
Comedy: A bad hockey player takes up golf to win money to save his grandma's house.
PLOT:
Happy Gilmore (ADAM SANDLER) is a bad hockey player who desperately wants to be on a hockey team. When his grandmother (FRANCES DEY) is about to lose her house to the tax man, Gilmore must find a way to make $270,000 in 90 days or the house is gone. Having recently discovered that he can hit a golf ball farther than anyone else, he joins the pro tour to try and earn the money. But he must contend with "Shooter" (CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD), the arrogant pro who tries to undermine Gilmore’s attempts at winning, as well as the attractive tournament PR rep, Virginia (JULIE BOWEN).
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Probably. A goofy movie starring Adam Sandler (formerly of "Saturday Night Live") will be a big draw.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For language and some comic sexuality.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • ADAM SANDLER plays a cocky athlete who often resorts to violence when confronted with stress or failure.
  • CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD plays an arrogant golf pro who does anything to undermine Sandler's game and chances of winning.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Happy has three fantasies where a lingerie clad woman carries pitchers of beer for him.
  • There is a golf reception where the players drink beer.
  • A bar scene shows Shooter drinking martini’s and Gilmore a beer.
  • Tailgaters at a golf tournament drink beer.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • None.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • An orderly at a retirement home treats seniors like military prisoners. Several times he gives the visual signal for slitting a throat and for shooting in the head to Happy’s grandma to keep her from speaking up about the atrocities at the home.
  • Happy responds to failure or stress with violence towards people or property.
  • Shooter goes to corrupt means to keep Happy from winning.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • None.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • A fan wears a t-shirt with a handgun on it.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Happy uses violence when faced with failure or frustration.
  • In the opening montage, Happy is seen holding several objects (a broom handle, police baton, and gasoline hose) between his legs simulating a penis (including thrusting of his hips).
  • Phrases: "Stupid," "sucks," "sucker," "moron," "jackass," "shut up," "shut your trap," and "Suck my white ball (referring to a golf ball)."
  • In order to toughen himself for hockey, Happy stands in a baseball batting cage and allows the balls to hit him in the head and body (without any apparent lasting harm).
  • For those living in alligator country, Happy wrestles a gator in the water without any apparent harm.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • An elderly woman suddenly jumps onto Happy’s windshield as she tries to leave a retirement home.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • There is a song with the phrases "I want to kiss you all over, and over again..." (played as Happy suggestively licks his intercom while trying to persuade his girlfriend to return.)
  • PROFANITY
  • 11 "s" words, 13 "ass" words, 8 damn's, 5 hell's, 2 SOB's, 1 crap.
  • There are two prolonged scenes where televised coverage of Happy’s golf game bleeps out a barrage of "f" and "s" words that are partially heard.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • In the opening montage, Happy is seen holding several objects (broom handle, police baton, gasoline hose) between his legs simulating a penis (including thrusting of his hips).
  • Happy’s bare buttocks are seen.
  • A caddy’s bare buttocks are seen.
  • Three fantasy segments have the tournament PR lady in revealing lingerie, including views of her nearly bare buttocks (and one with another player making out with her).
  • Happy signs an autograph on a woman’s ample breasts (but nothing more than cleavage is seen).
  • It’s implied that the girlfriend who leaves Happy was his live-in girlfriend.
  • A woman is seen in Happy’s apartment in just a t-shirt (implying that she spent the night).
  • A player states that he saw two naked people having sex in the woods.
  • SMOKING
  • None.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • In the opening monologue, Happy relates how his mother left home when he was young (due to his father’s obsession with hockey), and also that his father died (by a hockey puck shot by Happy) resulting in Happy having to go and live with his grandmother.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Resorting to violence when faced with failure or frustration.
  • VIOLENCE
  • There is ypical hockey violence (players being smashed up against the glass, etc...)
  • Happy slugs his coach after he’s not selected for the hockey team.
  • In the opening montage, Happy accidentally shoots a foreman in the head with a nail gun. Later, we see the foreman with the nail in his head (played for laughs).
  • Happy throws a tax man through a glass storm door and down the steps.
  • Several people are accidentally hit by golf balls and one woman resultingly falls from a second story window.
  • Happy throws a caddy to the ground after he thinks the caddy's stealing his clubs.
  • Happy hits another player who was taunting him.
  • Happy twice refers to a time in the past when he removed his hockey skates in order to attempt to stab another person.
  • Happy accidentally knocks an air conditioner unit out of a window and it lands on a woman.
  • The quote: "I need to beat the living piss out of him."
  • Happy attacks another player.
  • Happy breaks a beer bottle and threatens "Shooter" with the jagged remains.
  • Happy wrestles an alligator without apparent harm and then beats it to death.
  • Happy and teammate Bob Barker (from the "Price is Right") have an extended fight which includes punches to the head and body, head butts and a kick to the head.
  • Happy damages property at a miniature golf course.
  • Happy’s mentor, Chubs (Carl Weathers) falls from a second story window and dies (with little remorse shown from Happy).
  • A crazed fan working for Shooter runs over Happy with a car and then crashes into a TV stand. The car explodes, and the fan emerges with his arm on fire. Happy is shaken from the hit and run, but other than his game being thrown off, has no lasting effects.
  • The foreman (with the nail in the head) wears a t-shirt showing a gun and the phrase "Guns don’t kill people, I kill people."



  • Reviewed April 7, 1996

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