Plot: What’s it about?
Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) is a waterboy, but your average waterboy. He is The Waterboy, who takes the hydro-arts pretty damn seriously. After a long tenure as a top college team’s waterboy, Bobby gets fired, and looks for a new job. His mother (Kathy Bates) tries to convince him to give up his profession, but Bobby insists. He finds a small, underfunded college team, and offers his services, free of charge. Coach Kline (Henry Winkler) accepts, and Bobby is back in business! After a life-time of being told not to fight back, Kline tells Bobby it’s ok to respond after a player makes fun of him. Bobby proceeds to level the player, and after a bit of sweet-talking, Bobby is the new defensive end for Kline’s team. Throw in a little back-story about Bobby’s dad and a potential love interest, and you’ve got the plot of The Waterboy.
Now, of course, the real reason to see this movie is Adam Sandler. So if you like his brand of humor, then it’s a sure thing you will love this movie. But if you don’t care for Sandler, you won’t care for The Waterboy, as about 85% of the movie features him and his type of comedy. There are other reasons to view The Waterboy, however, such as a solid back-up cast, with great performances.
Kathy Bates is fantastic as Bobby’s overbearing mother, who tries to bamboozle Bobby into thinking everything is “THE DEVIL!.” Fairuza Balk, playing Bobby’s girlfriend, also racks up a solid and entertaining portrayal, making sure Bobby is taken care of, even if it means souping up his lawn-mower or holding a knife to a rival player’s throat.
Henry Winkler however, steals the show, as Coach Kline. Kline is hilarious, and gets a ton of laughs in the film. The Waterboy also features a very small role for Paul Wight, or The Big Show as WWF fans know him. It’s by no means a stretch, as Wight plays a wrestler, “Captain Insano”, but it is very funny segment nonetheless. This movie is pure comedy, not much else to be found. But if that’s what you’re looking for, it delivers and then some. While it’s not as deep or complex as other movies, this one will certainly brighten up any evening at home. So, if you want some laughs, call a time out, and visit The Waterboy.
Video: How does it look?
Very sharp visuals,with the colors and brightness right on par. Not anamorphically enhanced, but a very good print, with no visible grain or bleeding. The colors dp appear over-done, but I think that is part of the feel of the movie. The greens are very vibrant, and give the movie a lush feel.
Audio: How does it sound?
The volume seems rather low, but then again, most DVD’s are quieter than their VHS counter-parts. The music and effects don’t hamper the audibility of the speech, so every wise-crack is clear and crisp.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A Theatrical Trailer, and a 3 minute featurette. Not much insight
