Next to the word ‘rewatchable’ in the dictionary, there are two words; ‘Happy’ and ‘Gilmore'.
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The hilarious, quotable and heart-warming 1996 classic is one of the all-time great sporting films, telling the story of hockey player turned golfer Happy Gilmore's emotional quest — not just for golfing glory, but to win his grandmother's repossessed house back.
If you haven't watched it, you haven't lived, but make sure you do before breaking the movie down with Alex and Liam.
A quick plot summary; rejected from hockey try-outs for a decade, Gilmore, after discovering an insane talent for driving golf balls while his grandmother's house was being repossessed, wins a spot on the Pro Golf Tour in order to make desperately-needed money to get the house back.
An angry man, but with more personality in his pinky finger than anyone else on the tour, Gilmore's captivating style makes him a fan favourite and, without any flashy results, begins racking up enough prizemoney to start thinking about getting his grandma out of her nursing home, which — believe it or not — is being run as a sweatshop.
But fierce rival and No. 1-ranked golfer Shooter McGavin buys Grandma's house at an inflated price, setting the duo up for the ultimate showdown; Gilmore versus McGavin at the Tour Championship, with the winner getting the house.
With perhaps the most high-pressure putt in the history of golf, Gilmore makes birdie on the 18th hole, and all is right in the world.
Overall thoughts?
Alex: Speaking of ‘all is right in the world’, it certainly is when this movie is on. It is charming, it amuses me from start to finish and in different ways each time. And that is what makes it so rewatchable — I've found different moments of hilarity each viewing, and I reckon I would have seen it 15 times.
Liam: Ah, the days before Adam Sandler films didn’t involve cross-dressing or salonists with superpowers. The first 20 minutes of Happy Gilmore is what can be labelled as ‘cash money’ in my books. The outlandish characters, humorous plot and endless quotable moments place the movie under the elite category — it simply aged well. The film even inspired a generation of punters to hit the links and recreate Gilmore’s vigorous wind-up-and-whack-it technique.
Alex: Happy Gilmore-Shooter McGavin goes down in history as one of sport's great rivalries. On one hand, you've got reluctant golfer Gilmore, who despite hating the sport can roost the ball 400 yards off the tee — and that grinds the gears of McGavin, who will continue to win tournaments, but crave the fan appreciation his foe is receiving. And that's understandable, although, I'm not sure getting a ‘friend’ to run Gilmore over with a car during what was essentially the US Masters was the best look. Your favourite character Liam?
Liam: Shooter McGavin, no contest. The ultimate antagonist, Christopher McDonald’s smug trap bleating nonstop arrogant notions from the outset makes his the perfect face to hate. Gilmore’s rhyming retort to McGavin’s quip in the bar scene is possibly my favourite burn in all movies which fall under the comedy banner. An honourable mention goes to Ben Stiller as the retirement home tyrant for similar reasons.
Alex: And we can't not mention the great Chubbs Peterson. "It's all in the hips"; "just tap it in" — two of golf's most iconic lines come from this legendary coach. The poor bastard lost his hand to an alligator, but that won't stop him nurturing the sport's next superstar. The recurring gag of his wooden hand falling off makes me laugh in ways it really just shouldn't.
Favourite scene?
Liam: Purely subjective of course, but how can you go past Happy screaming “GO HOME” at the ball following a pretty ordinary putt. In a matter of minutes he went from bull riding his club after a monstrous drive to calling the ball out for being, well, too good for its home. The fact this scene represents what 99 per cent of golfers really feel when a four-footer goes astray makes it all the better. Happy then follows up the antics by draining the next hole in one; legendary.
Alex: There's literally too many options. The intro credits are fantastic; highlights include Happy making sexual motions with a series of objects, essentially killing his dad, shooting his boss in the head with a nail gun, and boasting of a hockey record he holds, being the only player to ever take his skates off and try and stab an opponent. You're pissing yourself and the movie has barely started.
Then when he meets Chubbs for the first time; the scene begins with him ‘training’ for next year's hockey try-outs by taking baseballs to the chest to develop strength — "oh God I love it" — and ends with him agreeing to play in the Waterbury Open, but not before getting Chubbs’ artificial hand run over by a truck.
And finally, there's just something about Happy rocking up to the posh start of season drinks in an AC/DC T-shirt, roasting McGavin among other competitors and then leaving early to go have a slap as he can "hear the Asteroids machine calling his name from the gaming room" that makes me feel warm and toasty inside.
Best quotes?
“She got hit by a car, she's dead." — Happy after being asked how his girlfriend is.
“Now you will go to sleep, or I will put you to sleep. You're in my world now Grandma." — The nursing home boss to Grandma upon her arrival.
“It's all in the hips"; "Just tap it in." — Chubbs’ two iconic golfing tips.
“That was so much easier than putting, I should just try and do that every time." — Happy after a casual hole-in-one on a par four.
“The price, $200 for a quilt. Yeah well this is hand-made quality shit we're talking about." — Nursing home boss trying to sell his sweatshop-produced quilts.
“Hey my girlfriend's dead you know." — Happy announcing his dating candidacy to Pro Golf Tour PR director Virginia
“Hey, I'm a hockey player, but I'm playing golf today." — Happy checking into the Pro Golf Tour for the first time.
“Go home. Are you too good for your home? Just go home. Suck my white ass." — Happy after missing a putt.
Liam: One of the film’s more poetic moments comes during Happy Gilmore versus The Price Is Right host Bob Barker (which won the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight), and it still rings to this day. After the pair trades blows for a solid minute, Gilmore socks the pensioner in the gut and exclaims “the price is wrong, bitch”.
Nitpicks?
Alex: I've got a couple — and this movie even gets a bit of an allowance as a reasonably unrealistic comedy. So having discovered his talent for golf just two days beforehand, Happy was able to enter a tournament (the Waterbury Open) where the prize was a spot on the professional tour? Am I meant to believe that was possible?
And if a television tower fell down on a green during play, do you think they'd clear it off and check everyone that had fallen off it was not dead, or just leave it there and make the golfers putt around it? I'm pretty confident play would be suspended, but "play it as it lies" I guess.
How rewatchable is this movie to you?
Liam: It’s safe to say I will never tire of watching Adam Sandler throw hands with a crocodile; Happy Gilmore has to be considered immortal in the realm of sports films. While I hate golf just as much as Happy, I’ll happily tune in to see the great man slapping them down the fairways whenever it's on telly.
Senior journalist