First thing: let me make it clear that this review was written after a second viewing of Adam Sandler's new comedy "The Waterboy." I laughed quite a bit when I saw it the first time. It was an entertaining enough mid-afternoon diversion and nothing more. I'd recommend it as such. During both viewings the kids and early teen (and there were several) had a really good time too so it's easy to see why "The Waterboy" has done so well at the box office. It's appealing in a diversional, juvenile kind of way.
However, when watching the movie for the second time and as a critic "The Waterboy" is a pretty big disappointment. Why a disappointment? Director Frank Coraci, screenwriter Tim Herlihy (with Adam Sandler), and star Sandler teamed up earlier in the year with "The Wedding Singer" which was a surprisingly charming and amusing romantic comedy that had a more mass market appeal. Having enjoyed their previous effort I had high hopes for "Waterboy." The previews provided quite a few laughs and Sandler can be funny in an acquired taste kind of way. Things looked good.
The first few minutes of the movie blew most of my hopes out of the water. They're bad. Sandler isn't funny nor sympathetic as the simple-minded hero. He's all one note gestures and annoying accent. He goes for the laughs by over-acting...always a mistake in comedy. We should laugh with him, not at him. To make matters worse we get to see him cruelly tormented by lunk-headed football jerks. Weee! What fun! The first ten minutes of a movie should make you want to stay in your seats, not bolt from them. Luckily things get better. The supporting players are quite funny. Kathy Bates has a great time sending up her "Misery" role as Sandler's overly protective mother. Henry Winkler (forever The Fonze) holds his own and delivers a few yucks as a coach on a losing streak. Also, the bulk of the players on the football team that recruit Sandler are amusing enough cardboard characters...particularly Assistant Coach Farmer Fran, whose dialogue is so beyond understanding that it is quite funny (love those nipple rings too!). Sandler isn't the movie, everyone else is.
In the end though it's all pretty juvenile. the plot is a basic "Loser Sports Team Proves Itself and Wins the Big Tournament" redemption piece like "The Bad News Bears" or "The Mighty Ducks" or a bazillion other lame comedies. Most of the jokes are no wittier than the average sitcom (which could also explain its appeal). The movie doesn't even look like much beyond its modest budget. None of these constitute any great crime against cinema (though there are several art house types who would disagree with me) but they don't give it a very good review either.
4.5 out of 10!