One of our late daughter's favorite movies, we watched BILLY MADISON countless times in the late nineties.
The perfect example of Adam Sandler's early, childlike goofy humor, it's the perfect blend of stupid and relentless that makes us laugh over & over.
Sandler is the lazy son of wealthy hotel magnate Darren McGavin (The Night Stalker), whose about to hand off his empire to ruthless kiss ass Eric (LOL Bradley Whitford from "The West Wing").
In the kind of convoluted challenge that only works in comedies, Billy must complete and graduate grades 1-12 in only two weeks per grade to win command of the hotel chain.
It's just a clever set up to hang a hundred small comedy scenes on and many of them still land today.
Chris Farley's demented Bus Driver is dark genius, Theresa Merritt (TV's "That's My Mama") slays as Billy's horny live in maid, Josh Mostel is a lusty principal with a secret past and Norm McDonald is Billy's completely aimless best friend.
Classic lines abound.
"If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis!"
"Shampoo is better, NO conditioner is better!"
"Shaaaadddupppp!"
"T-T-Today Junior!"
We all laughed our butts off, then and watching it again this week. Sandler has come a long way as an actor in he 25 years+ since his big screen debut. Somehow he makes his innocent, childlike humor work becuase he's just so damn likable ad-libbing his way to big laughs. Sandler has said in interviews that Billy was the closest he ever came to playing himself, maybe that's why it works so well.
BILLY MADISON throws everything at the wall for ninety minutes, with everything from a fantasy musical sequence, flaming bags of dog poop and an evil giant penguin that can be found at least once holding a martini.
Steve Buscemi even shows up as a twisted serial killer....twice!
It shouldn't work it's so damn dumb, but it's also SO damn funny!
BILLY graduates with a solid B. Sandler went on to make Happy Gilmore as his next giant hit.
I wish Farley would have made a whole movie about the Bus Driver, that would have been something....
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