The Waterboy

So much for Adam Sandler, "normal guy": just when it appeared he had decided to shrug off his infantile, silly-voiced persona for The Wedding Singer, he trots out the S.O.S. (same old stupidness) for The Waterboy. Theatrical audiences gobbled it up, and, surprisingly, there are a few good reasons. Sure, The Waterboy begins with the dopey premise of a 31-year-old simpleton turned college football star when his pent-up inner linebacker is released by the taunts of others. But be prepared for something slightly more sly than you'd expect after the fourth or fifth reference to Sandler's backwater, snake-and-squirrel-eating background. The dialogue starts getting sharper, Sandler becomes more endearingly innocent instead of acting like an oblivious moron, and the sight gags seem funnier (or maybe that was my natural good will). Yes, there are plenty of gags that overstay their welcome, and a who-cares romantic sub-plot involving Fairuza Balk, but this isn't exactly idiot comedy in the Ernest/Pauly Shore vein. Young audiences may have made the film a smash hit; others may get a buzz of goofy entertainment on video in spite of themselves. A strong optional purchase. (S. Renshaw)[Blu-ray Review—Aug. 4, 2009—Touchstone, 90 min., PG-13, $29.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1998's The Waterboy features a great transfer and a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, but no extras. Bottom line: a disappointing Blu-ray debut for a so-so Sandler comedy.]