5. Happy Gilmore (1996)
Actor(s) that got typecast: Adam Sandler
Here at Corner of Film, we love Adam Sandler. Not only is he one of Hollywood’s most underrated actors, but he’s also capable of delivering some of the most unexpectedly upsetting scenes in all of cinema. After his stint on Saturday Night Live, Sandler crossed over to Hollywood, establishing himself as a bankable comedic star with roles in Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore.
The latter started two specific career trends for Sandler, and they’re ones that he’s only beginning to break free from now with more serious roles. The most obvious of these is the way that Happy Gilmore marked the start of Sandler’s “angry” roles – characters who scream and shout whenever mildly inconvenienced. These can be spotted in films such as Big Daddy, Anger Management, and Click, among others.
The other trend this started for Sandler was his casting in sports movies. Despite not being in particularly athletic shape, Happy Gilmore saw Sandler cast in unlikely sports roles, including The Waterboy, a remake of The Longest Yard, and Hustle. The apparent trends that Happy Gilmore inspired have only seemed to help Sandler’s career, and he’s been going from strength to strength ever since.
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