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Adam Sandler works another variation of his angry man-child character to great effect in Billy Madison a silly and improbable comedy that does provide laughs. Sandler plays Billy, who is the spoiled son of a zillionaire (Darren McGavin), who sits around the pool all day drinking beer and looking at girlie magazines, save the occasional trip to a neighbor's house to leave a flaming bag of dog poop at his front door.
Billy's dad wants to leave him the company but his ass-kissing assistant (Bradley Whitford) insists that Billy is an idiot, at which time Mr. Madison must admit to Billy that he only graduated from high school because Madison paid all of his teachers to give him passing grades. Billy then proposes to his dad that he go back to school, starting in the 1st grade, and spend two weeks in each grade until he graduates in order to get control of the company. There is comic potential in this story and Sandler does his best to mine the gold that is there. Sandler has a good supporting cast behind him including McGavin, Whitford, Chris Farley (very funny as a bus driver), Norm McDonald, Theresa Merritt, and Joshua Mostel. Bridgette Wilson makes an attractive romantic interest as Billy's third grade teacher and there is even a very clever musical number thrown in that provides laughs. Love the game of dodge ball with the first graders too. A must for Sandler fans and watchable for everyone else.
Adam Sandler works another variation of his angry man-child character to great effect in Billy Madison a silly and improbable comedy that does provide laughs. Sandler plays Billy, who is the spoiled son of a zillionaire (Darren McGavin), who sits around the pool all day drinking beer and looking at girlie magazines, save the occasional trip to a neighbor's house to leave a flaming bag of dog poop at his front door.
Billy's dad wants to leave him the company but his ass-kissing assistant (Bradley Whitford) insists that Billy is an idiot, at which time Mr. Madison must admit to Billy that he only graduated from high school because Madison paid all of his teachers to give him passing grades. Billy then proposes to his dad that he go back to school, starting in the 1st grade, and spend two weeks in each grade until he graduates in order to get control of the company. There is comic potential in this story and Sandler does his best to mine the gold that is there. Sandler has a good supporting cast behind him including McGavin, Whitford, Chris Farley (very funny as a bus driver), Norm McDonald, Theresa Merritt, and Joshua Mostel. Bridgette Wilson makes an attractive romantic interest as Billy's third grade teacher and there is even a very clever musical number thrown in that provides laughs. Love the game of dodge ball with the first graders too. A must for Sandler fans and watchable for everyone else.