Fatherhood is simultaneously one of life's greatest joys and one of its most daunting responsibilities. From tossing us our first baseball to walking us down the aisle our fathers play an integral role in shaping who we are and who we want to become. The 1999 comedy drama Big Daddy pays apt homage to fatherhood at its most overwhelming, outrageous, and ultimately inspiring. This Father's Day treat yourself to laughs and lessons courtesy of Adam Sandler in Big Daddy.
The story begins with thirty-something slacker Sonny enjoying a life of ease working at a dead end job at a New York City toll booth while supplementing his income with a personal injury settlement. All of that is quickly derailed, however, when his roommate becomes engaged and his girlfriend leaves him for another man. Further complicating matters, a little boy named Julian arrives on his doorstep claiming to be the long lost son of Sonny's roommate, Kevin. Since Kevin is away on an extended business trip Sonny takes it upon himself to look after the boy until Kevin returns. He is then treated to a crash course in fatherhood that sees him learning lessons in life, love, and what it means to be a family.
Through its winning combination of laughs and love Big Daddy pays an apt homage to fatherhood that will have the whole family smiling. The film serves equally well as a slapstick fish out of water comedy and an emotionally engaging coming of age story. The film begins as a simple slice of slacker life, but with the arrival of Julian enters unchartered territory. The film then chronicles the increasingly outlandish ways in which Sonny attempts to make a home for Julian. Through its depiction of Sonny's hilariously misguided efforts at parenting the film highlights the ways in which all parents struggle through the challenges of child rearing. Beneath its broad humor, however, the film is at its heart a story about the relationships between fathers and sons and the lifetime impact of those relationships. At the film's start Sonny struggles with what he perceives to be his father's rejection and makes every effort to raise Julian differently than the strict manner in which he was raised. As the story continues however, he realizes that as valuable as his friendship might be to Julian what the boy really needs is a father. He then becomes determined to be the father that Julian needs rather than the playmate that he wants and does some growing up of his own along the way. It is only when the threat of losing custody of Julian forces him to reconcile with his own father, however, that Sonny is finally able to make peace with his childhood grievances and become the man and father that he was always meant to be. For big laughs the likes of which only Adam Sandler can deliver spend your Father's Day with Big Daddy.
The film is brought to uproarious life thanks to the by turns hilarious and heartfelt performances of its cast. Jon Stewart showcases his trademark wit as Sonny's responsible roommate, Kevin. Leslie Mann is equal parts sultry and snarky as Kevin's fiancée, Corinne. Joey Lauren Adams is delightful in her infectiously charming portrayal of Corinne's sister and Sonny's love interest, Layla. Rob Schneider steals each scene in which he appears as Sonny's delivery man turned friend, Nazo. Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse more than prove that they can hang with the grown-ups as they perfectly blend drama, comedy, and sentiment in their performances as Julian. Adam Sandler leads the colorful cast of characters in what is easily one of his most memorable roles. He transcends his trademark gross out humor to relay Sonny's journey from slacker to father with a warmth, wit, and sincerity that delivers laughs and life lessons with equal skill.
Big Daddy portrays the trials and triumphs of fatherhood with an earnestness and humor that is guaranteed to leave you smiling as the credits roll. The script marks one of Sandler's most mature efforts as it grapples with difficult topics without missing a single comedic beat. The cast demonstrates expert comedic skill as they bring Sonny's story to equal parts slapstick and sentimental life. Celebrate the big guy in your life with Sonny and Julian in Big Daddy. |
| "Don't be scared about me being a dad because I will not fail. I love this kid too much" |
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