A “guilty pleasure” 90s comedy that fans watch “on repeat” is now streaming for free. Directed by Dennis Dugan, 1996 American sports comedy film Happy Gilmore follows a failed ice hockey player with a unique talent for golf, who seeks to raise enough money to prevent the foreclosure of his grandmother’s house.
The official synopsis reads: “Happy Gilmore has long aspired to be a hockey player. Despite a powerful slapshot, Happy’s inability to skate and his volatile behaviour excludes him from being accepted by any hockey team. Furthermore, Happy’s grandma is being evicted from her home after failing to pay her taxes.
“After playing with some golf clubs and learning he can shoot golf balls far distances, he decides to join the PGA tour in an effort to win money to buy back his grandma’s home. Happy’s bad-boy image attracts a loyal following, but also attracts the attention of Shooter McGavin, the favourite to win the PGA tour, who is worried that Happy’s rise to stardom will undermine his shot to win.”
US comedy legend Adam Sandler leads the cast as Happy, while Christopher McDonald plays Shooter. The stacked line-up also includes Julie Bowen, Frances Bay, Carl Weathers, Allen Covert, Richard Kiel, Dennis Dugan and Joe Flaherty.
Happy Gilmore was released in 1996 by Universal Pictures, and received mixed reviews from critics. Despite a mixed rating, the film was a commerical success, earning $41.2 million on a $12 million budget.
In 2022, Adam Sandler said that he hoped to eventually make a sequel as he had been creating ideas for what a follow-up film would be. Netflix later confirmed that another film was in development in 2024.
Filming for Happy Gilmore 2 began in New Jersey in September that year, before wrapping up in December, with the blockbuster being released in July 2025. Several A-list names made cameo appearances in the film, including rapper Eminem, football players Reggie Bush and Travis Kelce, talk show host Dan Patrick, and wrestler Becky Lynch.
Happy Gilmore is now available to stream for free on ITVX. If you can’t get enough of the hilarious sports comedy, fans can then stream the sequel on Netflix.
Fans have continued to share their love for the film on social media, with many claiming to have re-watched it several times.
“This is Adam Sandler’s most iconic movie to me. Love the comedy and lines that gave it so much character. It inspired a generation of humour,” one person wrote on IMDb.
Another added: “One of Adam Sandler’s best movies. It is an absolute classic. One of my favourite comedies of all time. If you like Sandler humour, then you are in for a real treat. Extremely funny from beginning to end. Highly recommend.”
A third said: “Adam Sandler portrays one of the best characters from the 1990s. Laugh out loud moments abound, Sandler is electric and carries the film. Great supporting actors make for such a funny movie. Highly recommend.”
Happy Gilmore is available to stream on ITVX
