Commentary: ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Handles Sobriety Well
by Frank Martin
It’s very easy for stories with certain subject matter to become preachy. When a story revolves around a sensitive topic, it can suck up all the oxygen and leave little room for anything else. It becomes a basis for the theme, and all other aspects of the story sprout from it. Happy Gilmore 2 feels exceptional in this regard. The movie is undoubtedly a silly sports comedy, but it does have a very profound theme about alcoholism and sobriety. Usually, stories focusing on such issues are dense and dramatic. However, the film centers plot and character first, leaving the sobriety aspect as a subplot that has weight without becoming too overbearing.
The film follows the events of the original film as Happy (Adam Sandler) becomes a professional golfer on the course. Unfortunately, his wife Virginia (Julie Bowen) is accidentally struck by one of his golf balls and killed. This spirals Happy into an alcoholic depression, which continues until his daughter, Sunny (Vienna Sandler), needs money for dancing school. In an attempt to gain more cash, Happy tries to play golf again, but his drinking gets in the way, culminating in him crashing a golf cart. He is forced to attend sobriety meetings and tries to remain dry, but the stresses of playing causes him to slip. By the end, Happy resumes his sobriety and succeeds in golf once more.
It would have been very easy to make this entire story about alcohol and sobriety. It plays a fairly large role, but not an all-encompassing one. The film still has the same silly nature as the original and contains plenty of golf content to satisfy fans. But the story arc of sobriety that Happy goes on is still present. He struggles with drinking during his depression, slips up during his sobriety, and tries to pick himself back up afterwards. For a character originally built on loving beer, this was quite a turn. It demonstrated a profound storytelling that never became too much for the rest of the film, resulting in a surprisingly poignant story that is both inspiring and funny at the same time.
Happy Gilmore 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
