Big Daddy (1999 film)



Big Daddy is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Adam Sandler and the Sprouse twins. The film was produced by Robert Simonds and released on June 25, 1999, by Columbia Pictures, where it opened #1 at the box office with a $41,536,370 first weekend as well as a score of 41% on Metacritic. It was Adam Sandler's last film before starting his production company, Happy Madison Productions. It was also Sandler's first film distributed by Columbia Pictures. Big Daddy was Adam's highest-grossing film until Click (2006).

Plot
Immature 32-year-old bachelor slacker Sonny Koufax lives in New York City and declines to take on adult responsibility. Although he has a law degree, he refuses to take the bar exam, works one day a week as a tollbooth attendant and lives off a sizeable legal settlement from a minor accident. His girlfriend, Vanessa, threatens to break up with him unless he grows up. His roommate, Kevin Gerrity, proposes to his podiatrist girlfriend Corinne Maloney before he leaves for China for his law firm, and she accepts. Sonny constantly abuses Corinne, especially about her former occupation at Hooters.

The next day, Sonny wakes up to find five-year-old Julian McGrath abandoned at their apartment. A written explanation says that Julian's mother now refuses to care for Julian and that Kevin is his biological father. Sonny assures Kevin that he will look after Julian until Kevin returns from China. In order to win Vanessa back, Sonny introduces her to Julian. However, he learns that she is now dating Sid, a much older man who is more motivated and intelligent and has a "5-year plan."

Posing as Kevin, Sonny takes Julian to his social worker Arthur Brooks, telling him that Julian should return to his mother. However, Brooks informs Sonny that Julian's mother died of cancer. Sonny then decides to raise Julian his own way. As such, the boy nicknames himself Frankenstein and also helps Sonny find a new girlfriend in Corinne's lawyer sister Layla. Brooks finds a foster home for Julian and leaves messages for Sonny, but is suspicious when Sonny does not answer. At a meeting at Julian's school, the teacher is shocked by the terrible habits Sonny has allowed Julian to develop, causing Sonny to rethink his parenting methods. He turns himself and Julian around, but then Brooks arrives to find out Sonny impersonated Kevin and Julian is taken away.

In court, numerous people including Corinne testify on Sonny's behalf and tell the judge he is a suitable father. Julian also testifies, providing relevant information regarding his heritage. As a final straw, Sonny calls himself to the stand and asks his Florida lawyer father Lenny, who is present, to interrogate him. Despite Lenny's fervent belief that Sonny is not father material, Sonny convinces Lenny that he will attempt his best at being a father. Impressed by Sonny's sincerity, Lenny vouches for him. Nonetheless, the unconvinced judge orders Sonny's arrest. However, Kevin confesses to being Julian's biological father and insists they drop the charges. Sonny remains friends with Julian and hands him off to Kevin, watching them bond. One year later, Sonny has turned his life around: he is now a successful lawyer, is married to Layla, and they have a child of their own. At Sonny's surprise birthday party at a Hooters restaurant attended by Kevin, Corinne, Julian and others, Sonny sees Vanessa working as a waitress, with Sid working as a cook, revealing his "five-year-plan" has gone awry.

Cast

 * Adam Sandler as Sonny Koufax
 * Cole and Dylan Sprouse as Julian McGrath
 * Joey Lauren Adams as Layla Maloney
 * Jon Stewart as Kevin Gerrity
 * Leslie Mann as Corinne Maloney
 * Rob Schneider as Nazo
 * Jonathan Loughran as Mike
 * Allen Covert as Phil D'Amato
 * Peter Dante as Tommy Grayton
 * Kristy Swanson as Vanessa
 * Joseph Bologna as Lenny Koufax
 * Steve Buscemi as Homeless Guy
 * Josh Mostel as Arthur Brooks
 * Edmund Lyndeck as Mr. Herlihy
 * Geoffrey Horne as Sid
 * David Spade as restaurant server

Critical response
Big Daddy received generally bad reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film had an 40% rating by the critics. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus says "Adam Sandler acquits himself admirably, but his charm isn't enough to make up for Big Daddy's jarring shifts between crude humor and mawkish sentimentality." The film received a score of 41% on Metacritic.

The film won the People's Choice Awards for Favorite Comedy Motion Picture in 2000. At the 20th Golden Raspberry Awards, Big Daddy was nominated for five trophies including Worst Picture, Worst Director for Dennis Dugan, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Supporting Actor for Rob Schneider, with Adam Sandler winning Worst Actor.

Soundtrack
The film won a BMI Film Music Award. The soundtrack included the following:


 * Track listing
 * 1) "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Sheryl Crow (Guns N' Roses cover)
 * 2) "When I Grow Up" by Garbage
 * 3) "Peace Out" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
 * 4) "Just Like This" by Limp Bizkit
 * 5) "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" by Everlast (a Neil Young cover)
 * 6) "Ga Ga" by Melanie C
 * 7) "What Is Life" by George Harrison, covered in movie by Shawn Mullins
 * 8) "The Kiss" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
 * 9) "Instant Pleasure" by Rufus Wainwright
 * 10) "Ooh La La" by The Wiseguys
 * 11) "Sid" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
 * 12) "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman
 * 13) "Smelly Kid" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
 * 14) "Passin' Me By" by The Pharcyde (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
 * 15) "Rush" by Big Audio Dynamite
 * 16) "Hooters" by Allen Covert (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
 * 17) "Babe" by Styx
 * 18) "Overtime" by Adam Sandler (a sound clip from a scene in the movie)
 * 19) "The Kangaroo Song" by Tim Herlihy (made specifically for the movie)
 * 20) "The Best of Times" by Styx (only a portion of the song)


 * Other songs used in the film
 * "Dancing in the Moonlight" by The CrownSayers (originally done by King Harvest)
 * "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics
 * "Sweet Child o' Mine" a re-recorded version taken from a live version played by Guns N' Roses mixed with a recording with the 1999 Guns N' Roses lineup
 * "Jump" by Van Halen background music on the answering machine message in Sonny's apartment
 * "Growin' Up" by Bruce Springsteen
 * "Save It For Later" by Harvey Danger (originally by The English Beat)
 * "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" by Styx
 * "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
 * "Night's Interlude" by Nightmares on Wax (Song played during opening credits)
 * "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" by Elvin Bishop


 * Songs from the theatrical trailer not in the film
 * "Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)" by Zapp and Roger
 * "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals