Alright, pop that tape in the VCR, ignore the slightly fuzzy tracking lines for a minute, and let’s talk about a movie that was absolutely everywhere back in 1999: Adam Sandler’s Big Daddy. Remember this one? It landed right in the sweet spot of Sandler’s late-90s reign, a time when his specific brand of man-child comedy dominated video store shelves and multiplexes alike. Forget nuanced character studies; this was about pure, unadulterated Sandler-isms wrapped around a surprisingly functional, if utterly preposterous, plot.
### From Slacker to... Slightly Less Slacker?
The premise alone felt like peak 90s comedy gold: Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler), a law school graduate coasting through life on settlement money and avoiding responsibility like it’s a subpoena, decides the only way to win back his fed-up girlfriend is to… spontaneously adopt the five-year-old kid inexplicably left on his doorstep. That kid, Julian (played with surprising effectiveness by twins Cole and Dylan Sprouse, whom Sandler reportedly handpicked after seeing them on TV's Grace Under Fire), becomes Sonny’s unwitting pawn in a scheme doomed from the start. What follows is less a parenting masterclass and more a highlight reel of questionable childcare choices, from teaching the kid to trip rollerbladers to embracing public urination as a territorial marking tactic. It’s absurd, it’s often juvenile, but darn it if it didn’t make us laugh back then.
### Sandler Unfiltered (Mostly)
This was Adam Sandler solidifying the persona that made him a megastar after hits like Billy Madison (1995) and Happy Gilmore (1996). Sonny Koufax is that guy – lazy, prone to outbursts, emotionally stunted, yet somehow possessing a core of decency buried under layers of sarcasm and cheap t-shirts. Sandler, who also co-wrote the script with longtime collaborator Tim Herlihy and Psych creator Steve Franks, leans hard into his comfort zone. It’s not subtle acting, but it’s undeniably him, and for millions of fans, that was precisely the appeal. Rewatching it now, you can see the formula, but there's an undeniable energy to his performance here that feels less manufactured than in some of his later work.
Supporting him is a cast that feels very… well, 1999. Joey Lauren Adams, still riding high from her fantastic turn in Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy (1997), brings a much-needed warmth and grounding presence as Layla, the lawyer who inevitably catches Sonny’s eye. Jon Stewart, just before he became the iconic host of The Daily Show, plays Sonny’s bewildered roommate Kevin with a perfect blend of exasperation and reluctant affection. And yes, of course, Rob Schneider shows up for his obligatory cameo, delivering arguably one of his most quotable lines ("I got scabies!"). Even Leslie Mann, as Kevin's less-than-understanding fiancée Corinne, gets some good moments reacting to Sonny's escalating chaos.
### The Sweet Spot Between Silly and Sincere
Directed by Dennis Dugan, who would become Sandler's go-to director for numerous subsequent hits (and misses), Big Daddy keeps things moving at a brisk pace. Dugan knows how to frame Sandler’s antics, letting the physical comedy land (Sonny wiping out on rollerblades still gets a chuckle) while occasionally pulling back for those attempts at genuine heart. Let’s be honest, the humor hasn’t all aged gracefully. Some jokes definitely feel like relics of their time. Yet, there’s an underlying sweetness to Sonny’s evolving relationship with Julian that somehow manages to peek through the gross-out gags and yelling fits. Remember that scene with the Styx song "Renegade"? It's pure, unadulterated late-90s movie manipulation, but it kind of works!
The film’s production feels very grounded in its New York City setting, using real locations that add a layer of authenticity often missing in today’s green-screen heavy comedies. And who could forget the almost comical level of product placement for Hooters? It practically felt like a character in the film. It’s a time capsule element that sparks a definite, "Oh yeah, that was a thing" reaction.
### Box Office Smash, Critical… Meh
Here’s a fun retro fact: Big Daddy was produced for around $34 million but raked in a whopping $234 million worldwide. Audiences absolutely ate it up! Critics, however, were far less kind, generally dismissing it as more lowbrow Sandler fare. It even earned Sandler a Razzie nomination (and win) for Worst Actor. Yet, it simultaneously scooped up People's Choice Awards and MTV Movie Awards, highlighting that classic divide between critical consensus and popular appeal that often defined blockbuster comedies of the era. Did we care what the critics thought when we were renting this for a weekend pizza night? Probably not.
The film tapped into something – maybe it was the fantasy of shirking all adult responsibilities, or perhaps the surprisingly touching, if unconventional, father-son dynamic that develops. It wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel; it was trying to be a crowd-pleasing Adam Sandler comedy, and on that front, it succeeded massively.
VHS Heaven Rating: 7/10
Why this score? Big Daddy earns a solid 7 primarily on the strength of its nostalgic charm and its status as a defining film in Adam Sandler's comedic peak. It delivers genuine laughs (even if some feel dated), boasts memorable scenes, features a surprisingly effective performance from the Sprouse twins, and has that undeniable comfort-food quality. It loses points for the sometimes lazy humor and predictable plot, but the moments of heart and Sandler's specific energy elevate it above mere mediocrity for fans of the era.
Final Thought: Big Daddy is pure, unadulterated late-90s mainstream comedy – a little messy, unapologetically silly, but with a surprising amount of heart beating beneath the cheap laughs and ketchup packets. Press play if you want a reminder of when Sandler ruled the world, one goofy grin and questionable parenting choice at a time.