Comedies are pretty subjective, I’d say. That goes doubly for those of the screwball variety. Throw in Adam Sandler, and a film can be pretty much review-proof. I won’t argue if you say the comedian has made a bunch of crap (although I’d assert that his dramatic work is almost uniformly excellent). However, early in his career, he made a handful of silly comedies that I think are pretty unassailable. Frank Coraci’s The Waterboy, celebrating its 25th anniversary on November 6th, is possibly the last of that bunch. Surrounded by a strong supporting cast, Sandler and company keep the antics moving along at a nice clip, making for a warm, breezy, and goofy 90 minutes.
Sandler plays Bobby Boucher, a simple and timid waterboy for a Bayou-based college football team. Long a target for bullies, Bobby gets the attention of the broken Coach Klein (Henry Winkler, in a turning point role in his career) when the unassuming waterboy finally lashes out at one of his tormentors. Invited to play for the team and attend school, Bobby does so against the wishes of his overbearing Mama (Kathy Bates sporting a purposefully ridiculous Cajun accent). There are also large supporting roles for Fairuza Balk as Bobby’s criminally minded girlfriend, Vicki Vallencourt, and Jerry Reed as the villainous Coach Beaulieu. Lots of Sandler regulars fill out the smaller roles with Blake Clark being the most memorable as the eccentric and unintelligible Farmer Fran. Cameos belong to Clint Howard, Rob Schneider, and numerous sports personalities. Big-time wrestler Paul “the Giant” Wight is hysterical in his brief role as big-time wrestler Captain Insano.
While Sandler and frequent collaborator Tim Herlihy’s script is pretty straightforward with regards to the story (it plays out pretty much exactly how you’d think), the characters are distinctively drawn, and plenty of the jokes land. Coraci wisely gets out of the way of his talented cast and lets them give the film its energy. Sandler is heartfelt and charming, Winkler is warm and endearing, Bates is obviously having a ball being goofy as hell, and Balk brings some edge. Cajun stereotypes are played for laughs, but it’s relatively harmless stuff. There’s a short scene that invokes some gay panic and a few choice slurs, but for the most part, the film has aged fairly well.
Sets and locations are nicely done, slathering the story in an immersive Southern college football aesthetic. The Boucher house and yard are well crafted, making for an almost fairytale Cajun backdrop. Stunt work is excellent, with lots of believably bone-crunching hits providing some gridiron authenticity.
Frank Coraci’s The Waterboy from 1998 isn’t the best Adam Sandler comedy (I’d entertain arguments for Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore with The Wedding Singer being disavowed because I think it fits better with his slightly more serious efforts), but I feel comfortable saying it’s definitely near the top. The fairly impressive supporting cast pulls their weight in the comedy department, taking some of the weight off of our lead. Recommended for fans of riding lawnmowers, football flicks, and butt tattoos.
Michael Cavender