HD DVD Review: Happy Gilmore

There's a theory that no one really “enjoys” golf. It has to be the most frustrating sport in the world. That little hole has certainly sent people over the edge since the game came into being. Golf simply exists to let people vent their frustrations with day-to-day life on a small, dimpled ball. The same could probably be said for hockey, which is why Happy Gilmore is the perfect guy for the sport.

If you enjoy Adam Sandler comedies (and you probably know by now if you do), then Happy Gilmore is probably high up on a list of personal classics. This is easily his best quirky comedy, ripping the sport apart for all of its attempts at being proper. A large number of visual gags and one-liners and abundant raunchy humor make every Sandler comedy so enjoyable, and Gilmore has them all.

Sandler steals the movie as the hot-tempered golfer, but the rest of the cast complements him nicely. Christopher McDonald plays shooter McGavin to perfection, taking the despised villain role and running with it. Julie Bowen plays the love interest and the tour PR person, constantly trying to just keep Gilmore on the course as others push him out for his erratic behavior. Cameos include one of the most memorable in movie history by a game show host (Bob Barker), and Lee Trevino, who gets in a few hilarious quips as the film moves along.

There are not many surprises here. The movie exists solely to get to the next scene and produce more laughs. The paper-thin story consists of Happy attempting to raise enough money to save his grandmother's house, and rather obviously finds a way to do that on the PGA Tour. Happy Gilmore is purely light comedy, and thankfully there’s no attempt to move away from that.

Your enjoyment of the film as a whole comes down to how appealing Adam Sandler is to the viewer. Either his raunchy, brash, and goofy style is appealing, or you’re lost in the first ten minutes. If you’re not part of the latter group, then this wonderfully crafted comedy is aimed directly at you.

In HD, an obvious detail increase can be seen in clothing and especially with the scenic shots of the golf courses. However, the colors aren't as bright as they were on the standard DVD release, and black levels are sitting more in a gray scale. The added detail is easy to appreciate, though this should have been far more colorful to view.

Audio receives a noticeable boost, especially when it comes to Happy’s massive swing. The exaggerated sound effects push far more bass and impact than they did previously. Surround use is also stronger, and the ice skating scene really delivers in terms of proper rear speaker usage.

There are no trailers for the film, but this disc does have a few extras. The most entertaining, as always, are the outtakes. There are some great clips here that are bound to provide a few laughs. The final extras are some deleted scenes. Though there is some humor here, these are all scenes that should have been cut. This isn't an earth-shattering mix of extras, but much like the audio, it just gives you a little something extra to keep you happy.

Happy Gilmore would be the first collaboration between director Dennis Dugan and Adam Sandler. Three years later, they reunited for mega-hit Big Daddy. They have third chance with the upcoming I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.

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Article Author: Matt Paprocki

Matt Paprocki is a 12-year movie and game critic. He currently freelances for Blu-ray review site DoBlu.com and video game site MultiPlayerGames.com.

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