Big Daddy (1999) / Comedy-Drama

MPAA Rated: PG-13 for language and some crude humor
Running Time: 93 min.

Cast: Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart, Cole and Dylan Sprouse
Director: Dennis Dugan
Screenplay: Steve Franks, Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler
Review published December 15, 1999

A 30+ year old loser (Sandler, The Waterboy) is living off of a lawsuit and loses his girlfriend (Adams, Chasing Amy) due to his inability to grow up and show responsibility. He soon gets his chance when he adopts the 5 year old love child of his best friend in an attempt to impress her. But how can a man who acts like a child raise a child with success?

Shamefully contrived and woefully idiotic comedy that's high on lowbrow humor and low on high-minded originality. Much of the humor stems from piss, ass-wiping, or vomit jokes to making fun of the homeless, drunks or immigrants, and Hooters. Needless to say your mileage may vary as to whether this is funny or not to you.

The few funny moments notwithstanding, the plot itself is totally laughable (and not in the good way), and the ill-conceived custody battle for the boy with the most liberal amount of grandstanding seen in motion picture history sinks the film from painfully ridiculous to unforgivably nauseating. All the while Sandler teaches his young adopted son how to be a sadistic spoiled brat, while we're supposed to root for the right of a clearly unfit parent to keep custody of what will certainly grow up to be a monster when he reaches adulthood.

A few more stinkers like this and Sandler may really find himself out of a job.

Qwipster's rating:

©1999 Vince Leo