Adam Sandler’s Lengthy-Awaited Observe-Up Suffers From A Unhealthy Case Of Sequelitis

Joyful Gilmore 2 could have its moments, however the movie buckles beneath the burden of a case of sequelitis. Joyful Gilmore 2‘s Netflix launch is lastly right here after an nearly 30-year wait, with many wanting to see how the golf professional’s journey continues. My assessment of Joyful Gilmore proves I’m one such particular person, given my enjoyment of the unique.

I’ve a variety of nostalgia-led love for Joyful Gilmore, and I used to be, properly, pleased to find that the movie holds up on rewatch. I’ve been cautiously optimistic about Joyful Gilmore 2‘s story. I admit that Sandler’s comedic profession since The Marriage ceremony Singer has included extra misses than hits, however I hoped Joyful Gilmore 2 would retain the endearing allure of its predecessor.

In some methods, the movie does precisely that. Sadly, Joyful Gilmore 2 suffers because it tries to be greater and higher than the primary film. This enables Joyful Gilmore 2 to tread new floor, however it additionally makes it overly lengthy, extra unfocused, and extra beholden to Joyful Gilmore cameos.

Some elements of Joyful Gilmore 2 actually work, however they’re slowed down by a scatterbrained narrative that can’t match the primary film’s allure and wit.

Joyful Gilmore 2’s Story Is Too Fractured

The Plot Is not Positive What To Focus On

Clocking in at nearly half-hour longer than its predecessor, Joyful Gilmore 2‘s largest difficulty is its unfocused plot. The primary act had me. The movie establishes what Joyful has been as much as for the final three a long time, organising his household life till an extremely stunning tragedy takes place.

It took me some time to come back to phrases with the surprising plot level, however I in a short time realized its goal was to tug Joyful down earlier than constructing him again up. Finally, placing his daughter by ballet college turned Joyful’s aim, heartwarmingly replicating his motivation to avoid wasting his grandma’s home within the first film.

Nevertheless, the film’s second and third acts introduce the concept of Maxi Golf, a modernization of the game. After this, the movie turns into break up between being a legacy sequel that repeats the primary film and a brand new tackle traditionalism vs. innovation. Each have their deserves and disadvantages, however Joyful Gilmore 2 doesn’t decide to both intently sufficient to really feel coherent.

The household side of Joyful Gilmore 2 does work, from the position of Vienna, performed by Sandler’s daughter Sunny, to Joyful’s 4 sons, who hilariously inherited his hockey participant’s mood. Julie Bowen’s Virginia is underutilized, however there is not any denying her half as one other motivation for Joyful works to capitalize on the emotional nostalgia of the primary movie.

That mentioned, true emotion is missing due to the movie’s concentrate on the Maxi Golf subplot. This plot has some good messaging, and the golf cameos add a pleasant traditionalist worth, however it results in the movie’s largest difficulty.

Joyful Gilmore 2 Tries To Be Larger Than Its Predecessor In Each Means

Solely Including To The Unfocused Narrative

Joyful Gilmore 2‘s insistence on being an even bigger sequel hinders it, with the Maxi Golf subplot epitomizing this. Nevertheless, it’s not the one approach Joyful Gilmore 2 tries to outdo the primary film, which is itself an issue. Joyful Gilmore 2‘s degree of cameos is genuinely baffling — from golf stars to comedic actors and musicians.

A few of these cameos work, like Unhealthy Bunny, however the sheer variety of recognizable faces took me out of the film and proved distracting. The cameos started to frame on gratuitous, with so a lot of them — resembling Austin Submit’s commentator — being there merely for the sake of it.

Sadly, they detracted from Joyful Gilmore 2‘s plot, which additionally tried to go greater. The Maxi Golf match was enjoyable in some methods, however the grandeur and spectacle of it didn’t match the extra grounded tone that Joyful Gilmore 2 was placing by way of its household subplot.

I perceive this was the purpose, because the maximalism of golf was pushed again towards, however it was nonetheless an excessive amount of and made Joyful Gilmore 2‘s fractured narrative all of the messier.

Joyful Gilmore 2’s Nostalgia Works Effectively, However It Usually Would not Discover A Motive For Current

By way of nostalgia for the primary film, there are some nice moments in Joyful Gilmore 2. The “return” of Gilmore’s caddie from the primary film, solely this time as skilled golfer Will Zalatoris, was hilarious and made for one of many movie’s higher cameos. Ben Stiller’s Hal L. was additionally suitably terrible within the sequel, along with his plot truly tying into Joyful’s character arc fairly properly.

More often than not, although, Joyful Gilmore 2‘s nostalgia doesn’t discover a cause to exist; Chubbs’ son, performed by Lavell Crawford, doesn’t should be on this film in any respect, but Joyful Gilmore 2 insisted on it purely to have the connection to Carl Weathers’ character.

Christopher McDonald returns as Shooter McGavin and is superb in his scenes. A graveyard combat makes for one in every of Joyful Gilmore 2‘s funniest scenes and nostalgic gags, however McDonald suffers from the movie’s fractured story. McGavin ought to’ve had an even bigger position and, whereas he has his moments, is a wasted a part of Joyful Gilmore 2.

Total, I wished to like Joyful Gilmore 2. Sadly, it’s simply nice at greatest. The movie has some parts that work, however not sufficient to beat its gratuitous cameos, its should be greater, or its wasted nostalgia and bloated runtime. Sadly, our lovable golfer could have been higher off staying in retirement.

Joyful Gilmore 2

5/10

Launch Date

July 25, 2025

Director

Kyle Newacheck

Execs & Cons

• Joyful Gilmore 2’s familial plotline works to recapture the primary movie’s coronary heart at occasions
• Joyful Gilmore 2 has some hilarious moments, largely stemming from first movie nostalgia
• The movie has some attention-grabbing commentary on traditionalism vs. innovation
• A small handful of the movie’s cameos work, together with John Daly and Unhealthy Bunny

• Joyful Gilmore 2’s narrative is much too unfocused for many subplots to land
• Joyful Gilmore 2 falters beneath the burden of making an attempt to be greater than the primary film
• Joyful Gilmore 2 has far too many gratuitous cameos that weren’t wanted
• Lots of nostalgic beats don’t have any true cause for current in Joyful Gilmore 2