Big Daddy (1999 film)

Big Daddy

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Dennis Dugan
Produced by Allen Covert
Adam Sandler
Robert Simonds
Jack Giarraputo
Written by Steve Franks
Tim Herlihy
Adam Sandler
Starring Adam Sandler
Joey Lauren Adams
Jon Stewart
Rob Schneider
Cole Sprouse
Dylan Sprouse
Leslie Mann
Steve Buscemi
Kristy Swanson
Josh Mostel
Music by Teddy Castellucci
Cinematography Theo van de Sande
Edited by Jeff Gourson
Production
company
Out of the Blue... Entertainment
Jack Giarraputo Productions
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release dates
 June 25, 1999 (1999-06-25)
Running time
 93 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Italian
Budget $34.2 million[1]
Box office $234.8 million[1]

Big Daddy is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Adam Sandler and the Sprouse twins. The film was produced by Robert Simonds and released on June 25, 1999, by Columbia Pictures, where it opened #1 at the box office with a $41,536,370 first weekend[1] as well as a score of 41% on Metacritic.[2] It was Adam Sandler's last film before starting his production company, Happy Madison Productions. It was also Sandler's first film distributed by Columbia Pictures. It is also Adam's highest grossing film to date.

Plot

Unreliable and unmotivated 32-year-old bachelor Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler) lives in New York City and declines to take on adult responsibility. Although he has a law degree, he refuses to take the bar exam and works one day a week as a tollbooth attendant. His girlfriend, Vanessa (Kristy Swanson), threatens to break up with him unless he changes his life. His roommate, Kevin Gerrity (Jon Stewart), proposes to his podiatrist girlfriend Corinne Maloney (Leslie Mann) before he leaves for China for his law firm, and she accepts. Sonny constantly teases Corinne, especially about her former occupation at Hooters.

The next day, Sonny wakes up to find five-year-old Julian McGrath (Cole Sprouse and Dylan Sprouse) abandoned at their apartment. A written explanation says that Julian's mother now refuses to care for Julian and that Kevin is his biological father. Sonny assures Kevin that he will look after Julian until Kevin returns from China. In order to win Vanessa back, Sonny introduces her to Julian. However, he learns that she is now dating Sid (Geoffrey Horne), a much older man who seems more mature and career-oriented and has a "5-year plan."

Posing as Kevin, Sonny takes Julian to his social worker Arthur Brooks (Josh Mostel), telling him that Julian should return to his mother. However, Brooks informs Sonny that Julian's mother died of cancer. Sonny then decides to raise Julian his own way. As such, the boy nicknames himself Frankenstein and also helps Sonny find a new girlfriend in Corinne's lawyer sister Layla (Joey Lauren Adams). Brooks finds a foster home for Julian and leaves messages for Sonny, but is worried when Sonny does not answer. At a meeting at Julian's school, the teacher is disturbed by the terrible habits Sonny has allowed Julian to develop, causing Sonny to rethink his parenting methods. He turns himself and Julian around, but then Brooks arrives to find out Sonny impersonated Kevin and take Julian away.

In court, numerous people including Corinne testify on Sonny's behalf and tell the judge he is a suitable father. Julian also testifies, providing relevant information regarding his heritage. As a final straw, Sonny calls himself to the stand and asks his Florida lawyer father Lenny (Joseph Bologna), who is present, to question him. Despite Lenny's gruff assertion that Sonny is not father material, Sonny convinces Lenny that he will attempt his best at being a father. Moved by Sonny's sincerity, Lenny vouches for him. Nonetheless, the unconvinced judge orders Sonny's arrest. However, Kevin confesses to being Julian's biological father and insists they drop the charges. Sonny remains friends with Julian and hands him off to Kevin, watching them start to bond.

One year later, Sonny has turned his life around: he is now a successful lawyer, is married to Layla, and they have a child of their own. At Sonny's surprise birthday party at a Hooters restaurant attended by Kevin, Corinne, Julian and others, Sonny sees Vanessa working as a waitress, with Sid working as a cook, revealing his "five-year-plan" has gone awry.

Cast

Release

Critical response

Big Daddy received generally mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film had an 40% rating by the critics.[3] The Rotten Tomatoes consensus says "Adam Sandler acquits himself admirably, but his charm isn't enough to make up for Big Daddy's jarring shifts between crude humor and mawkish sentimentality." The film received a score of 41% on Metacritic.[2]

The film won the People's Choice Awards for Favorite Comedy Motion Picture in 2000. At the 20th Golden Raspberry Awards, Big Daddy was nominated for five trophies including Worst Picture, Worst Director for Dennis Dugan, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Supporting Actor for Rob Schneider, with Adam Sandler winning Worst Actor.[4]

Soundtrack

The film won a BMI Film Music Award. The soundtrack included the following:

Track listing
  1. "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Sheryl Crow (Guns N' Roses cover)
  2. "When I Grow Up" by Garbage
  3. "Peace Out" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
  4. "Just Like This" by Limp Bizkit
  5. "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" by Everlast (a Neil Young cover)
  6. "Ga Ga" by Melanie C
  7. "What Is Life" by George Harrison, covered in movie by Shawn Mullins
  8. "The Kiss" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
  9. "Instant Pleasure" by Rufus Wainwright
  10. "Ooh La La" by The Wiseguys
  11. "Sid" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
  12. "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman
  13. "Smelly Kid" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
  14. "Passin' Me By" by The Pharcyde (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
  15. "Rush" by Big Audio Dynamite
  16. "Hooters" by Allen Covert (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
  17. "Babe" by Styx
  18. "Overtime" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
  19. "The Kangaroo Song" by Tim Herlihy (made specifically for the movie)
  20. "The Best of Times" by Styx (only a portion of the song)
Other songs used in the film
Songs from the theatrical trailer not in the film

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Big Daddy (1999) - Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  2. 1 2 "Big Daddy reviews at Metacritic.com". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  3. ↑ "Big Daddy Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  4. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0142342/awards.html

External links

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