Ah, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Happy Gilmore 2 graces our screens today, offering us another round of Adam Sandler swinging wildly—both at golf balls and common sense. With teasers tightening the suspense and reports hinting at a “meatier” storyline (pardon the pun), fans are hopeful yet skeptical. The reunion of Julie Bowen and Ben Stiller suggests they’re not just phoning it in but still have retention on their mind.
Nearly three decades in the making! It seems like only yesterday we were in the ’90s, sipping Capri Sun and sporting slap bracelets. Yet here we are, drowning in nostalgia. But before you slap on your Happy Gilmore jersey, let’s pivot to another potential Sandler blockbuster. In a recent tête-à-tête with Screen Rant, Sandler was asked about a third installment of the Grown Ups saga. His response? Well, keep your pants on:
“That could happen.”
Ah yes, both installments of Grown Ups are currently in the Rotten Tomatoes hall of shame, boasting a whopping 10% and 8% approval rating respectively. Critically panned, yes, but financially they were gold mines—like finding a $20 bill in your winter jacket. The first film made $272 million on a budget of $75 million, while the sequel managed $247 million on an $80 million budget. Who knew viewers were so entertained by friends behaving like toddlers?
What’s the Plot of Adam Sandler’s Grown Ups Movies?
In essence, Grown Ups is a romping comedy revolving around five childhood playmates: Lenny Feder (Adam Sandler), Eric Lamonsoff (Kevin James), Kurt McKenzie (Chris Rock), Marcus Higgins (David Spade), and Rob Hilliard (Rob Schneider). The film begins with the demise of their old basketball coach, which serves as a splendid excuse for a grown man-playdate in a lake house—because who wouldn’t want to relive their glory days while dodging adult responsibilities?
As adults, these five are successful in varying degrees; some can barely keep a houseplant alive. Lenny, our sunshine in a cloud of mediocrity, is in the former group. Their idyllic reunion quickly devolves into chaotic antics that make parenting look like a walk in the park. Fast forward to Grown Ups 2, and we meet Braden (Alexander Ludwig), Marcus’s offspring from a previous romantic excursion, cementing that chaos and comedy are like peanut butter and jelly.
Despite its accolades (or lack thereof, depending on how you look at it), the movie was nominated for nine Razzies in 2014 and yet walked away with nothing but pride intact. Sandler did snag Favorite Movie Actor at the 27th Annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, proving yet again that sometimes, awards are handed out like free samples at Costco.
Casting whispers about a third installment come from Maria Bello, who played Eric’s better half. She echoed sentiments about its potential, stating:
“People have talked about it… I hope so because, boy, it’s fun to work with those guys.”
And who doesn’t want to sign up for a never-ending cycle of goofy gags and improbable life lessons?
While Sandler’s Grown Ups franchise flounders in the cesspool of subpar criticism, there are other cinematic gems that could also use a revival, like Anger Management or The Waterboy. Because, why not? After all, how can we resist the idea of Adam Sandler reaching into our hearts and wallets for one last hurrah?
So here we are, poised for a double feature: new golf swings in Happy Gilmore 2 and perhaps another trip to the lake house. Just remember: sometimes the best things in life come with a hefty dose of irony—like watching grown men relive their childhoods while wearing cargo shorts.
