Billy Madison
1995 · Directed by Tamra Davis
Original language: English
- comedy
The story
Billy Madison is the 27 year-old son of Bryan Madison, a very rich man who has made his living in the hotel industry. Billy stands to inherit his father's empire, but only if he can make it through all 12 grades, 2 weeks per grade, to prove that he has what it takes to run the family business.
What it’s like
Bright, flat, overlit studio comedy: hotel lobbies in saturated primary colours, cheap-looking classroom sets with fluorescent wash, and wide, static two-shots that let the slapstick play out in full. The camera rarely does anything clever; it simply watches Adam Sandler's childlike man-boy blunder through each grade with loud, cheerful music cues and bursts of goofy sound effects. The vibe is silly, breezy and unpretentious, the kind of undemanding nineties goofball fun you can half-watch on a lazy afternoon, or put on for a comfort rewatch when you want to laugh at nothing in particular. Pacing is brisk and episodic, a run of sketch-like set pieces rather than a building story, and the emotional register stays light and gently sweet beneath all the nonsense. Billy himself is an immature, impulsive guy who slowly, clumsily learns that he has been coasting, and the film's warmth comes from his sincerity and the affectionate ribbing of the adults around him. Intensity is low: plenty of pratfalls, shouting and crude-ish gags, but no real violence, gore or sexual content. It suits anyone who wants easy, silly comedy with a friendly, lightly sentimental heart.
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