The Waterboy

Only Adam Sandler can get away with beaning little kids at dodge ball and punching the daylights out of Bob Barker, and that's the kind of cartoon violence that made his Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore so hilarious. The kinder, gentler, infinitely more dull Sandler in The Wedding Singer was a box-office success but disappointing to his true fans. This latest effort, directed by The Wedding Singer's Frank Coraci, crosses that film and Happy Gilmore, as Sandler mixes equal parts lovable oaf and crazed mauler to create a movie as uneven as his character's moods.

Sandler is Bobby Bouchet, a water-obsessed mama's boy fired from his job as waterboy for a high-profile Louisiana college football team. He finds a down-and-out team led by Coach Klein (a bored Henry Winkler), who urges Bobby to stand up for himself. Surprise surprise, the waterboy turns out to be the world's greatest tackler once he channels his negative energy, and soon Sandler is doing what he does best -- beating on everyone around him. It's repetitive but funny, as he mumbles through his trademark speech impediment, then screams and tackles his foes, even executing a jackknife power-bomb (yes, the Waterboy's a wrestling fan, and a scene with the Giant is one of many well-executed sports cameos).

Of course, each bang gets a little less exciting, and many gut-busting scenes are spaced out with wearying stretches of filler. Also, Bobby's psychotically restrictive mother (Kathy Bates in overbearing Southern mode) is more sad than funny. But if Sandler is truly determined to soften his image, his persona in here is an acceptable compromise. At the Harbour Mall, Lincoln Mall, Starcase, Tri-Boro, Warwick Mall, Westerly, and Woonsocket cinemas.

-- Dan Tobin