Movie Review: That's My Boy

It's been said countless times, but Adam Sandler isn't quite what he used to be. I grew up on his classics like Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, The Waterboy, and Big Daddy. The only film of his that has even come close to his glory days since the dawn of the new millennium was The Longest Yard (I liked Funny People a lot too, it just wasn't a traditional Sandler movie). It must of have been a sign because I haven't seen one of Adam Sandler's movies in a theater since The Longest Yard and That's My Boy is easily the best work Sandler has done since then.

That's My Boy is a big return to form for Adam Sandler. Here he plays Donny Berger, a man who impregnated his teacher at age 13 and returns to his son Todd's (Andy Samberg) life after not for seeing him for years on the weekend of his wedding. Sandler's portrayal of Donny takes you back to old days where he played Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison. Donny is a likable asshole and you find yourself liking him even though it's not morally right. He's a drunk, ignorant, vulgar, pervert and much like most of the other characters in the film, you oddly love the guy. It's not just Sandler's character that marks this as a return to form, it's the fact that movie is extremely funny. The humor is vulgar as all hell and you can tell the cast had a blast making this film. The laughs keep coming, especially in the last half-hour when a surprisingly dark and utterly hilarious twist is added to the film. The supporting cast does just as well Sandler actually. The bit parts from non-actors such as Tony Orlando, Vanilla Ice, and Todd Bridges were all fantastic. Ice and Bridges do a great job at poking fun of themselves (They work at a roller rink snack shack in the film) and Orlando (the only non-actor not appearing as himself) delights as Todd's sleazy boss. It was also cool to see Sandler do an R-rated film for once. He's been almost exclusively in PG-13 films for his whole career and it was awesome to him let loose with no boundaries. That's My Boy is a crude, rude, fun, and downright hilarious film. I hope Adam Sandler will make another R-rated film in the future and continue to deliver films that are this funny and characters that are this memorable. Welcome Back old Adam Sandler, I missed you dearly.

4/5 Stars