By Luke McQueary
From the beginning, it is evident that although the sequel to Happy Gilmore is filled with nostalgia, it is more than a bold reinvention. The film picks up decades after the original concludes, with Happy (Adam Sandler) having retired at the height of his fame. Tragedy strikes early, though, when his wife, Virginia (Julie Bowen), dies suddenly. This loss sets the plot in motion, leaving Happy clawing his way back to golf in an effort to pay for his daughter’s ballet education.
Themes of loss, family, and redemption make the film’s mood heavier than the original. Virginia’s early death seems like the production team took the easy way out at first, but in the end, the plot comes full circle.
Happy Gilmore 2 has many moments of pure, absurd comedy and includes an overwhelming number of cameos. The film leans heavily on celebrity stunts, inserting pro golfers, music stars, and sports icons into random scenes. Appearances from Bad Bunny, Travis Kelce, and Bryson DeChambeau add a want-to-watch feel for the younger generation, who might not have been exposed to the original film. The golf scenes, however, retain the same manic spirit of the original, with Happy driving and draining impossible putts with his hockey stick.
As for the cast, Adam Sandler displays his usual traits. He is loud, volatile, and occasionally vulnerable. Christopher McDonald returns as Shooter McGavin, though his character is showcased through a softer lens this time around. Virginia is gone too soon to make a mark, and many supporting characters function more as nostalgic placeholders than fully realized individuals.
Visually and tonally, the film sometimes feels too polished for its own good. The sterile lighting, brushed up effects, and tight framing can undercut the scrappy spirit one expects from a Sandler comedy. Critics and fans alike have pointed to the film’s stubborn reliance on nostalgia and the use of recycled jokes and cues from the original rather than establishing its own identity.
On the other hand, the new Maxi Golf concept is entertaining, and it displays how life and technology have drastically changed since Happy Gilmore was first released in 1996. Interestingly, most viewers were not pleased with this, feeling it gave the film a fantasy feel that was not as enjoyable to watch. In the end however, production did their best to attempt something new as opposed to cloning the nearly thirty-year-old masterpiece.
Ultimately, Happy Gilmore 2 is simply a goofy movie, though it leaves a somewhat messy legacy. It inspires some laughs, provides warm moments, and holds even a few surprises, but it also betrays itself with overstuffed cameos and a reluctance to be unique from the original film. For fans of the original who crave a return to that scrappy, underdog energy, however, it’s fun to revisit Happy’s world. But if you were to golf with this film, it would finish well over par without sniffing a birdie.
The Judson Mosaic 