Look, the first thing you need to know about is Happy Gilmore 2 good is that it doesn’t care about being a "masterpiece." If you’re walking into this Netflix sequel expecting The Godfather Part II of golf comedies, you’re basically Shooter McGavin trying to eat a piece of work for breakfast. It’s not that kind of movie.
Nearly 30 years after the original 1996 classic, Adam Sandler has finally brought back the hockey-tempered golfer. Honestly, the vibe is weirdly heavy at first. We find Happy as an alcoholic widower living in New Jersey, working at a grocery store and mourning Virginia Venit (Julie Bowen), who—in a surprisingly dark twist—died after being hit by one of Happy’s own stray drives years ago.
He’s broke. He lost the house. Again.
The movie moves fast, then slow, then explodes into a neon-soaked fever dream. It’s a wild ride.
Why Happy Gilmore 2 feels so different from the original
Most sequels try to copy-paste the first film. Is Happy Gilmore 2 good because it does something new? Sorta. It shifts from a simple "save the house" plot to a massive satire of modern golf. Happy gets pulled back into the game by Frank Manatee (played by Uncut Gems director Benny Safdie), an energy drink mogul who runs "Maxi Golf."
Maxi Golf is basically LIV Golf on acid. There are pyrotechnics, moving golf carts, and enough "bro-energy" to power a small city. It’s a far cry from the quiet, elitist greens of the 90s.
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The Shooter McGavin Factor
You can't have Happy without Shooter. Christopher McDonald returns, and he hasn't missed a beat. He’s spent most of the last 30 years in a mental institution—which feels like a fair consequence for losing to a guy who puts with a hockey stick. Their first meeting in a graveyard is one of the high points of the film. It’s silly, nostalgic, and exactly what fans wanted.
But then the movie gets... crowded.
The sheer number of cameos is staggering.
- Travis Kelce shows up as a waiter.
- Bad Bunny plays Happy's new caddie, Oscar.
- Eminem literally gets eaten by an alligator.
- Scottie Scheffler gets arrested (a nice nod to real-world golf drama).
It’s a lot. Sometimes it feels like you're watching a "Who's Who" of 2026 pop culture rather than a cohesive story. If you love spotting famous faces, you’ll have a blast. If you want a tight script, you might find yourself checking the runtime.
The "Sandler Family" style of filmmaking
If you’ve watched any Sandler movie in the last decade, you know the drill. He hires his friends. He hires his family. His daughter, Sunny Sandler, plays his on-screen daughter Vienna. His wife Jackie and daughter Sadie are in there too.
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Critics like Dan Bayer and reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes (where it’s hovering around a 57%—the "green splat" of death) point out that it feels like a home movie with a $100 million budget. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. There’s a warmth to it. You can tell these people actually like each other.
The humor is classic low-brow stuff. We’re talking about guys urinating into mailboxes, slapstick brawls, and a return of Ben Stiller’s "Hal L." (the abusive retirement home orderly), who is now running a rehab facility. It’s "Three Stooges" energy.
The big controversy: The ending and the "Maxi" shift
The second half of the movie is where it loses some people. It stops being a character study about a grieving dad and becomes a loud, chaotic competition between the PGA-style traditionalists and the Maxi Golf rebels.
The "Maxi" tournament is garish. Neon trails follow the balls. There's constant shouting. Some viewers on Reddit have complained that this part feels like "factory filmmaking." It loses the grounded heart of the first act.
"It feels like they had two different movie ideas but decided to make them into one," noted one reviewer on the r/moviecritic thread.
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That’s probably the most accurate takeaway. The first 40 minutes are a surprisingly emotional look at aging and loss. The last hour is a loud, chaotic party.
The Verdict: Is it worth your Netflix time?
So, is Happy Gilmore 2 good enough to justify the 30-year wait?
If you are a die-hard fan of the "Sandlerverse," the answer is a resounding yes. It’s a comfort watch. It’s like hanging out with an old friend who has gotten a bit louder and weirder with age, but they still know how to make you laugh.
However, if you’re a casual viewer, the "nostalgia bait" might feel a bit heavy. The movie relies heavily on you remembering specific jokes from 1996. Without that context, it’s just a movie about a middle-aged man hitting golf balls and shouting.
What you should do next:
- Rewatch the original first. Seriously. The sequel has so many "blink-and-you-miss-it" callbacks (like the Subway sponsorship or the lady from the "Mista Mista" scene) that you’ll enjoy it 50% more if the 1996 film is fresh in your mind.
- Keep your expectations in check. Don't look for a tight plot. Look for the jokes that land and the weirdly touching moments between Happy and his daughter.
- Watch for the golf cameos. If you’re a fan of the sport, the appearances by Rory McIlroy, Nelly Korda, and Tiger Woods (in a brief, surprising moment) make the "Maxi Golf" madness much more tolerable.
Ultimately, it’s a film made for the fans. It’s messy, it’s bloated, and it’s occasionally hilarious. In 2026, where everything feels so serious, maybe a little bit of "unconstrained silliness" is exactly what we need.
Next Steps for the Viewer
To get the most out of your viewing experience, jump onto Netflix and pair this with the original Happy Gilmore. Pay close attention to the background of the "Happy Place" scenes—the 2026 version has some incredibly subtle updates to the 90s dream sequences that most people miss on the first watch.