ForHappy Gilmore 2, Adam Sandler reunited with an actor who is responsible for what is arguably the best movie of his career. Over the last several decades, Sandler has had an incredibly successful career, but Happy Gilmore is possibly his most iconic character. Therefore, it was a delight to see him reprise the role almost 30 years after the original movie.
Unfortunately,reviews forHappy Gilmore 2have been quite disappointing, with Screen Rant’s own Lewis Glazebrook giving it a score of 5 out of 10. Its story may be far too absurd for many critics, but there are definitely still a lot ofhilarious moments inHappy Gilmore 2, which is now streaming on Netflix.
Additionally, the main cast andall the cameos inHappy Gilmore 2make it a very entertaining watch. Along with Sandler, the cast of the long-awaited sequel includes Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald, who also starred in the original film. However,the cast ofHappy Gilmore 2also includes Benny Safdie, who Sandler previously worked with on 2019’sUncut Gems.
Adam Sandler & Benny Safdie Both Star In Happy Gilmore 2
Safdie Plays The Villain in Happy Gilmore 2
Even thoughHappy Gilmore 2is undeniably a comedy, it takes some dark turnswith its characters. Most notably,Happy accidently kills Virginiaby shooting a golf ball at her just minutes into the sequel. Because of this, Sandler’s most iconic character loses his house, his money, and becomes an alcoholic.
Luckily, despite all his mistakes,Happy still has a good relationship with his children inHappy Gilmore 2. The sequel mostly focuses on his daughter, who gets the opportunity to attend an elite dance program in Paris. Happy is obviously thrilled for his daughter, but needs to figure out a way to make money quick. This leads to him returning to golf, but Safdie’s character argues that the game needs to change.
Instead of returning to the PGA Tour, where Happy has found a lot of success in the past, Safdie’s Frank Manatee offers him the chance to become a Maxi golfer. In the film,Maxi Golf is a company that is run by Frank, and its sole purpose is to evolve the sport of golf. Of course, all of Frank’s golfers are technically cheating, since they have received surgical enhancements so that they can shoot further.
From their very first scene together,Happy and Frank are clearly enemies inHappy Gilmore 2. Personally, I expected Shooter McGavin to play the villain in the sequel. After all, he was Happy’s main rival in the original film. However, I think it was much more interesting to make Safdie’s character the movie’s primary villain.
Safie’s performance fit in perfectly with the tone ofHappy Gilmore 2.
While he is also a director, Safdie has starred in some incredible movies and shows in recent years, such asLicorice Pizza,Oppenheimer, andThe Curse. However,he hasn’t done that many comedies in the past, especially ones with the same type of humor asHappy Gilmore 2. Therefore, it was amazing to see Safdie share the screen with Sandler in the sequel.
Frank Manatee is actually a great, over-the-top villain inHappy Gilmore 2. As the movie progressed, Frank kept getting more and more injured until it looked like he should be playing an evil mastermind in aJames Bondfilm. Overall,Safie’s performance fit in perfectly with the tone ofHappy Gilmore 2, and I was glad to see he was fully committed to the role.
Sandler & Safdie Previously Worked Together On Uncut Gems
Uncut Gems Earned Sandler A Lot Of Praise
Six years before the release ofHappy Gilmore 2, Sandler and Safdie collaborated with each other onUncut Gems. Unlike inHappy Gilmore 2, Safie actually didn’t act alongside Sandler in the 2019 thriller movie. Instead,he co-directedUncut Gemsalongside his brother, Josh Safdie.
InUncut Gems, Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a New York City jeweler and gambling addict who makes a high-stakes bet that could either lead to a huge win or completely ruin his life. Despite not getting much recognition during awards season,Uncut Gemswas one of the best movies of 2019 and is a tense crime thriller that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
Uncut Gemshas an amazing score of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the third highest-rated movie of Sandler’s career (viaRotten Tomatoes). While the film still features plenty of hilarious scenes, playing Howard Ratner is a notable moment in Sandler’s career. Since he is mostly known for starring in comedy films, which do not always receive the best reviews, it was shocking to watch his exceptional performance inUncut Gems.
In fact, even though he has been praised forUncut Gemssince its release, Sandler’s performance in the film is arguably still underrated. In my opinion,he should’ve been nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars for his role inUncut Gems. Therefore, if you haven’t seen the acclaimed 2019 film yet, the recently releasedHappy Gilmore 2gives you a perfect excuse to give it a chance.
SinceUncut Gemswas such a massive critical success and a notable movie in Sandler’s career, it was great to see him collaborate with Safdie inHappy Gilmore 2.Clearly, Sandler and Safdie have maintained a good relationship since the release ofUncut Gems, which is good to know. After the release ofHappy Gilmore 2, hopefully they can continue to collaborate on many projects in the future.
Happy Gilmore 2
Cast
Happy Gilmore 2 sees the return of Adam Sandler in his iconic role as the retired golfer who steps back onto the green to support his daughter’s passion for ballet. Released in 2025, the film explores Gilmore’s renewed journey in golf to finance her dreams.
Uncut Gems
A crime thriller from Josh and Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems follows New York jeweler Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) as his gambling addiction forces him to associate with increasingly dangerous individuals. After receiving an incredibly rare black opal, Howard believes he can finally free himself of his mounting debts, but not without engaging in one final high-stakes balancing act while fending off violent loan sharks.
