Fountain of youth

Friday, November 6, 1998

Fountain of youth

Adam Sandler keeps making movies that make people laugh

By Sam Toussi

Daily Bruin Contributor

Tonight, the third installment of a trilogy will be released in
theatres. No, the "Star Wars" prequels don’t come out for a year.
Tonight, Adam Sandler’s new movie, "The Waterboy," will be released
in theaters nationwide.

"The Waterboy" marks the third installment of the "Loser
Trilogy" ­ following "Billy Madison" and "Happy Gilmore."

This movie follows the life of Bobby Boucher, a waterboy for a
top college football team who is incessantly picked on because he’s
an idiot. Fired from his job, he gets another position as a
refreshment engineer with an untalented football team that has lost
40 consecutive games. One day in practice, Bobby snaps and he
discovers a knack for destroying opposing players with devastating
tackles. Hindered only by his overbearing, psychotic mother (Kathy
Bates) and his own stupidity, Bobby takes his team toward a happy
ending.

The movie was written by Sandler and longtime friend Tim Herlily
(like this year’s "The Wedding Singer") and was directed by another
longtime friend, Frank Coraci. He met Herlily and Coraci when he
was at NYU and still hangs out with them. There are no egos among
the group, and they seem to look at what they do as play rather
than work.

"We have fun," Sandler says. "We’ve known each other so long
that we know what makes us laugh and what pisses us off, so it’s
kind of like family."

Like the other two movies, "The Waterboy" features former
"Saturday Night Live" cast members who Sandler befriended in his
time there.

"I like hanging out with buddies, and I know I’ll get at least a
few days to hang out with a buddy of mine so I’ll write something
and tell him to come down," Sandler explains.

The movie features staples of the other two, such as a
conventional plot surrounded by classic Sandler humor and the
"Sandler chick" who tempers and redeems the title character.

"The Waterboy" also marks a distinct difference with "Madison"
in particular and highlights what it is that has made Sandler the
star he is today.

When "Madison" was released, it was the hit that was Sandler’s
big screen coming out party. Critics, however, faulted the film’s
main character for being too mean spirited and without any
redeeming qualities. Critics of those critics said that this was
why the movie was funny.

Sandler was labeled by some as being mean spirited himself. Much
has changed for Sandler’s image since. "Happy Gilmore" was a bit
more sympathetic than Madison. Then Sandler surprised everybody
with "The Wedding Singer" as he exposed a more tender, romantic
side. Both stripped the mean streak and kept the laughs.

Now with "The Waterboy," Sandler may have done his most
sympathetic character yet. Bobby does no one any harm. He loves his
mama. All he wants are friends. He is constantly abused. He has a
good heart.

It is probably true that there is a little bit of Sandler in
every one of his characters, even Madison.

"I play a bad guy every day of my life," Sandler says. "People
say, ‘Here comes that bad guy. I hope he doesn’t break our windows
again.’"

But the sweet, childlike nature of Bobby’s character is probably
the closest to what Sandler really is in person.

"I’ve been a jerk in my life," Sandler says. "And I’ve been on
the receiving end of something, saying something and making me feel
that sick feeling you get in your stomach, so I know Bobby."

Sandler seems to relish in the joy of acting like a child. In
interviews, he almost seems like an overgrown little boy.

"He’s great with kids," Henry Winkler, who plays Sandler’s coach
in the movie, says. "He always has time for kids."

He’s very polite, very proper (he didn’t curse once during the
45 minute session), he doesn’t take anything too seriously, he is
almost bashful of the attention he receives ­ though he enjoys
it. He remembers his idols as a child and tries to get them
involved in his movies, as if he is acting out some sort of
childhood dream.

Take, for example, the casting of Jerry Reed, most well known
for playing the Snowman in "Smokey and the Bandit." Reed plays a
bayou native who speaks in incomprehensible Cajun.

"We wrote that down-home language for him to do," Sandler says.
"He’s actually from down there, and he would definitely fix our
script more than anybody could. He would tell us ‘(In a Cajun
accent) I would not say that, I would say this.’"

Sandler also was a fan of Winkler, better known as Arthur "Fonz"
Fonzerelli in "Happy Days." He asked Winkler to play the part of
the dysfunctional football coach.

"The first thing that happened," Winkler explains, "was Adam put
me in his Hanukkah song. He asked me if I would do this movie and I
said, ‘Yes!’ without hesitation."

Working with buddies and idols is part of Sandler’s charm. It’s
a reflection of his easy-going attitude toward the movies he
makes.

The opening credits of "The Waterboy" read "A Frank Coraci
movie." Not "film." It’s not high art to Sandler.

"I liked being able to go see a movie with my buddies and family
and laughing and getting to talk about the movies," Sandler
remembers. "That’s why we make these movies."

Audiences seem to be refreshed by Sandler’s humble nature. He
doesn’t take himself too seriously; in fact, he describes himself
as a buffoon.

"I look in the mirror and I see a buffoon and that’s all I want
to see," Sandler says. "Let me look in the mirror right now. Yeah,
still goofy."

Yet, Sandler’s growing following are not as willing to see
Sandler as simply goofy.

"Adam, who appears to be one goofy guy, is brilliant," Winkler
assures.

"I think he’s a genius. I would rank him as one of the top
actors today. You’ve got to know him to understand. He’s in charge
of every aspect of his comedy. He’s a fabulous young man."

FILM: "The Waterboy" opens nationwide today.Photos courtesy of
Jon Farmer

Henry Winkler (left) and Adam Sandler (right) star in "The
Waterboy."

Waterboy Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) serves his team.

Waterboy Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) serves his team.

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