Off-The-Walls Netflix R-Rated Comedy Unites Generations Of SNL Talent
If you grew up watching Adam Sandler movies throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, you’re probably used to seeing the beloved performer take on the role of an obnoxious man-child perpetually stuck in party mode. While many of Sandler’s classics depict this kind of archetype, one film, 2012’s That’s My Boy, takes it to the next level. Today, That’s My Boy is considered something of a cult classic, despite serving as a massive flop with critics around the globe.
The Cast
Those interested in checking out That’s My Boy today can stream the off-the-walls comedy on Netflix. The film was written by Happy Endings and Kenan creator David Caspe in his sole feature film credit, and directed by Spirited filmmaker Sean Anders. As stated, Adam Sandler leads the cast of That’s My Boy, alongside the likes of Andy Samberg, James Caan, Blake Clark, Will Forte, Rachel Dratch, Leighton Meester, and surprisingly enough, “Ice Ice Baby” rapper Vanilla Ice.
That’s My Boy
The narrative of That’s My Boy opens on a 12-year-old middle school student from Massachusetts, who is coerced into a relationship with his adult teacher during a month-long stay in detention. After the pair are discovered, the teacher is sent to prison, while the boy, Donny Berger, becomes an overnight celebrity. Shortly after her sentencing, the teacher learns that she is pregnant with Donny’s child, leaving the preteen to raise the baby on his own.
Han Solo Berger
While the opening sequence of That’s My Boy sounds like a harrowing nightmare you might see on an episode of To Catch A Predator, the entire thing is played for laughs, especially as adult men congratulate Donny on a job well done for sleeping with his hot teacher.
Flashing forward 27 years, Donny is broke, miserable, drowning in debt to the IRS, and perpetually trapped in a state of arrested development. His son, Han Solo Berger, has legally changed his name to Todd Peterson, and estranged himself from his man-child father in order to make an attempt at living a normal life.
The Reunion
When Donny is approached by a TV producer with an offer of $50,000 for a reunion film between himself and his son, he travels to Cape Cod to crash Todd’s upcoming wedding. Over the course of the film, Todd and Donny come to realize that they could each stand to learn a lot from one another, and form a unique father-son bond unlike any other.
As That’s My Boy builds to a comedic climax, the film brings a lot of laughs, a little heart, and a truly bonkers twist ending that you will absolutely not see coming, no matter what.
Stream It Now
GFR SCORE
As stated, critics were quite harsh on That’s My Boy upon release, mostly due to its irreverent themes, juvenile sense of humor, and patently gross subject matter. The movie was even originally given a rating of NC-17, before the filmmakers successfully appealed the MPAA to reduce it down to an R.
To date, That’s My Boy has the distinct honor of being one of very few Adam Sandler movies to bomb at the box office, taking in only $57 million against an estimated production budget of over $70 million.
If you’re interested in checking out That’s My Boy today, be sure to stream the madcap comedy on Netflix. While it certainly won’t be eligible for any Pulitzer Prize nominations, the film is an off-beat raunchy comedy that’s definitely good for some cheap laughs.
