Justin's Rating: Oh yea-HA!
Justin's Review: Adam Sandler movies, in my opinion, are best viewed every 6 months (and no sooner). I like him, he's funny, but that still doesn't repress the urge to punch him in his mouth to shut his yap every now and then. I think Billy Madison is the best case for the death penalty I've every seen, but fortunately Sandler movies have come a long way since then.

Or have they? It seems like all Sandler movies have staples that his fans have come to expect. Sandler, the loser, overcoming the obviously evil jerk to win and jump in the sack with a girl who has "boobies." Yes, this happens again. Sandler plays Bobby Boucher, a mildly retarded 31-year-old who lives with his mother and is the waterboy for a small Louisiana university. Sick of all the crap that critics have been throwing at him since Madison, Boucher discovers that his pent-up anger can be harnessed through devastating tackles. Thus, the loser becomes the hero (and didn't we already do this with Happy Gilmore?).

Most of this movie is not much more than intense physical comedy, but it's the kind we need. As a guy, I enjoy immensely the sight of two men slamming each other into turf, with Dolby Surround Sound echoing the crackling bones in my ear (I enjoy this, naturally, as long as I am not the one slammed). It may not be the most intellectual movie you've ever seen (turn to Spice World for that), but it's a load of fun.

Fairuza Balk plays Vicki, Bobby's inexplicable girlfriend who has a long rap sheet and very noticable headlights. She is included for all of the teenage boys in the theater who thought that her showing Bobby her "boobies" was the funniest thing in the world. What are they teaching kids in Sex Ed nowadays? We all need to grow up some, here...

The other assorted characters (including the Fonz) are at times wearing, endearing, stupid, and hilarious. Kathy Bates was done much wrong by appearing in this movie as an overbearing mother, but Henry Winkler shows great promise as a comic. I did so relish the "visualizations" that made Bobby's tackles so successful. This movie rises above the mediocre "underdog team wins impossible victory" status just because it acknowledges its wackiness and runs with it. The end game is one of those spectacular stand up and cheer events, and even the third time through watching it, I was on the edge of my seat. The Waterboy may just be an extended counseling session, but the tackles make all the difference.

Kyle's Rating: My spine is crushed, but it hurts so good
Kyle's Review: Let me start off by stating this: I love Adam Sandler movies. I am a college student, I have a brain, I think therefore I am, and despite/because of this I enjoy all of his films (well, except Bulletproof. But that was just bollocks). Yes, Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and The Wedding Singer are all great movies to me. And now The Waterboy will join the stack of movies next to my television that are always rewound and ready, since I can always pop 'em in and enjoy them. But I digress. The Waterboy is more critically-panned Sandler insanity, this time college football-related ultra-violence set against a tenuous bad-girl-falls-for-mildly-retarded-nice-guy-with-barrels-of-pent-up-agression romance. In other words, not much plot to speak of. But you won't care, because you be laughing, or at least smiling and drooling, while Sandler's 31 year-old nice slow guy gets the girl and a free college education courtesy of his bone-shattering tackling ability. The good coach finds redemption in victory while the bad coach is humiliated and can only watch while his team is turned into limp, broken things on the grid-iron. DO NOT watch The Waterboy for complex metaphors and themes. DO NOT watch The Waterboy thinking you'll find a mentally challenging best picture contender. In fact, it's best to NOT THINK while watching The Waterboy. All it is is good-natured fun, a good versus evil escapist comedy where you can sit back and enjoy the proceedings because you know everything will work out in the end, but getting there is the fun part.

Recommended for:
Sex ed classes
Our college's football team, which could use a little personality
Nipple ring wearers

The Movie Store!
The Waterboy: Movie [VHS]
The Waterboy: Movie [DVD]
The Waterboy: Soundtrack [CD]
The Waterboy: The Poster [1]

Intermission!
I am a small and lonely intermission that needs someone to care for me and love me.

Groovy Quotes:

Crazy Hick: You can do eeet!

Bobby: Now that's what I call high quality H2O!

Bobby: I will work for you for free. Just promise me that you will never distribute the contents of that barrel to any human person.

If you liked this movie, try these:
Happy Gilmore
Major League

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