Netflix Adam Sandler Comedy Is A Heartwarming Classic
In 1999, Adam Sandler was in the midst of his glory days as a movie star, releasing several blockbuster smash hits that are regarded as comedy classics today. During that period, Big Daddy stands out in his filmography as a surprisingly heartwarming entry. While the movie has its fair share of flaws, the combination of Sandler’s signature crude humor with a genuinely sweet relationship between a child and a man-child.
From The Height Of Sandler’s Box Office Dominance
The plot of Big Daddy centers around 33-year-old Sonny, a typical Sandler man-child loser, having to take care of a five-year-old named Julian. In a contrived series of events, Sonny is suddenly forced to take care of Julian, the son of his roommate Kevin, while Kevin is out of the country. Initially using Julian to try to win his ex-girlfriend back, Sonny gradually bonds with the child, and most of the movie is centered around their relationship.
No One Plays Losers Like Sandler
The jokes in Big Daddy feel at home alongside other Sandler movies of the time, like Happy Gilmore and Little Nicky. Much of the humor comes from Sonny being a comically angry loser, prone to over-the-top but harmless spats of rage. There are also plenty of crude sexual innuendos and profanity-centered bits that have aged with mixed results.
A Surprising Emotional Core
What sets Big Daddy apart from other 90s Sandler movies is the relationship between Sonny and Julian at its center. As Sonny bonds with the child and even helps him by finding out his mother has died, a surprisingly heartwarming and genuine connection forms. Giving so much focus to this relationship tempers Sandler’s crude humor enough to make the movie feel meaningful and sweet without completely defanging the humor.
Directed by frequent Sandler collaborator Dennis Dugan, Big Daddy didn’t start as an Adam Sandler vehicle. The script, originally titled Guy Gets Kid, was written with Chris Farley in mind, with Pete Davidson auditioning for the child role before it went to Cole Sprouse. While Sandler had a role in rewriting the movie, his relative lack of creative control shows in the movie’s more sentimental moments.
The Usual Happy Madison Faces Are Here
Another way Big Daddy stands out from other Adam Sandler movies, particularly those produced by Happy Madison, is the cast. Rather than the usual Happy Madison group, Adam Sandler acts alongside Dylan and Cole Sprouse, as well as Jon Stewart, Joey Lauren Adams, and Leslie Mann. Frequent collaborators Peter Dante, Rob Schneider, and Steve Buscemi have small roles, but the usual Sandler crew isn’t as omnipresent as they are in many of his other movies.
Streaming Now On Netflix
Like many of Adam Sandler’s films in that period, Big Daddy was a huge hit in theaters but garnered little critical praise. It made $234.8 million at the box office on its budget of $34.2 million, making it an undisputed financial success story. While general audiences flocked to the film, it was panned by critics, receiving a 39 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Big Daddy sits in a strange place in Adam Sandler’s filmography as more heartfelt than most of his broad comedies but not quite reaching the heights of his few great dramatic roles. Still, it’s one of the most interesting movies from early in his career, giving audiences a hint that there was more to his craft than slapstick screaming and funny voices. You can watch Big Daddy on Netflix and judge for yourself.
