By Sarah Osman

As a legacy sequel, Happy Gilmore 2 one isn’t a hole-in-one, but it doesn’t roll into a sand trap either.

Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore 2. Photo: Universal Pictures

The legacy sequel has reached fever pitch in Hollywood. Ever since studio executives began to unremittingly prioritize established franchises over new ideas, beloved comedies from way back have been resurrected through a “part two.” Most of these retreads do not pick up from where the original ended; instead, they take place today with their characters aged up. Some of these have been utter catastrophes, like Dumb and Dumber To, Zoolander 2, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Others have been triumphs, like Doctor Sleep, Top Gun: Maverick, and 28 Years Later. Most of these attempts at recycling, however, fall somewhere in the middle. They’re not bad per se, and are often fun or charming. But most legacy sequels pale in comparison to their predecessors, to the point that they are quickly forgotten after release.

Happy Gilmore 2, the sequel to the beloved Adam Sandler ’90s vehicle Happy Gilmore, is a step up from most legacy sequels. It’s not boring, and there are some laugh-out-loud moments along with some genuinely sweet scenes. But it doesn’t really have a reason to exist — beyond Netflix not wanting to do another original Sandler movie. Which is a bit of a shame, considering how Sandler films have become a family business, and the last one, You’re So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, was a funny, sincere coming-of-age story that let Sandler’s daughters shine.

The Sandler family returns in Happy Gilmore 2, but the star is Sandler himself. Set in the present, Happy Gilmore 2 begins with the now-famous Gilmore (Adam Sandler), a happy family man with four rambunctious sons and one ballerina daughter. He’s had a successful golf career, so it’s presumed that Gilmore has left his brawling days behind. But tragedy hits the Gilmore family when a freak accident with a golf ball results in the death of Gilmore’s wife, Virginia (Julie Bowen). He falls into despair, quits golf, loses his grandma’s house, and becomes a raging alcoholic. But when his daughter (played by Sandler’s real-life daughter) is accepted into a prestigious ballet school in Paris, Happy picks up his clubs again to win the money to send her there.

Meanwhile, Happy faces a new adversary: Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie) is a wannabe mogul who wants to make golf more “watchable.” He’s created Maxi Golf, a supercharged version of the game — imagine a fusion of mini golf and American Ninja Warrior. Happy’s appalled by the idea, and lets Manatee know by dumping him in a lobster tank. But Manatee is still determined to get Happy on his side. So, in addition to winning the money necessary for his daughter, Happy needs to preserve golf and its traditions.

There are so many callbacks to the original film that a number of the flashbacks feel superfluous. Characters from the first outing return as well, including Hal L. (Ben Stiller), who now runs a rehab center, and Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald), Happy’s former enemy turned friend (following a fist fight in a cemetery, naturally). A few characters from the original popped up that I had nearly forgotten about, like Happy’s initial caddie, whom he nearly choked to death in the original.

But the real fun comes from the parade of cameos — from the worlds of Hollywood and golf — that pop up. My personal favorite was John Daly, who plays an exaggerated version of himself; he drinks hand sanitizer and hangs out with a weirdo neighbor played by Steve Buscemi. The antics of the two serve no purpose in story, but the pair were hilariously game for whatever Sandler threw at them. The result is funny enough to make a spin-off featuring those two. Bad Bunny steals his scenes as Happy’s new caddie, a former waiter who has a habit of offering everyone near him breadsticks. Haley Joel Osment cackles with delight as an evil Maxi Golfer. Everyone who pops up in the film was clearly thrilled to do so, which is one reason Happy Gilmore 2 is a fun romp rather than an unfortunate foray into rehash.

Thankfully, Happy Gilmore 2 does not disgrace the memory of Happy Gilmore. It’s full of the same slapstick absurdity — like when all of Happy’s sons start screaming and fighting each other for no reason — that made the first one a hit. As a legacy sequel, this one isn’t a hole-in-one, but it doesn’t roll into a sand trap either.

Sarah Mina Osman is based in Los Angeles. In addition to the Arts Fuse, her writing can be found in The Huffington Post, Success Magazine, Matador Network, HelloGiggles, Business Insider, and WatchMojo. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and is working on her first novel. She has a deep appreciation for sloths and tacos. You can keep up with her on Instagram @SarahMinaOsman and at Bluesky @sarahminaosman.bsky.social.