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The Waterboy

  • 1998
  • PG-13
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
188K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
315
31
Adam Sandler in The Waterboy (1998)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer1:08
1 Video
99+ Photos
FootballSlapstickComedySport

A waterboy for a college football team discovers he has a unique tackling ability and becomes a member of the team.A waterboy for a college football team discovers he has a unique tackling ability and becomes a member of the team.A waterboy for a college football team discovers he has a unique tackling ability and becomes a member of the team.

  • Director
    • Frank Coraci
  • Writers
    • Tim Herlihy
    • Adam Sandler
  • Stars
    • Adam Sandler
    • Kathy Bates
    • Henry Winkler
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    188K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    315
    31
    • Director
      • Frank Coraci
    • Writers
      • Tim Herlihy
      • Adam Sandler
    • Stars
      • Adam Sandler
      • Kathy Bates
      • Henry Winkler
    • 387User reviews
    • 90Critic reviews
    • 41Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:08
    Official Trailer

    Photos125

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    + 119
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    Top cast92

    Edit
    Adam Sandler
    Adam Sandler
    • Bobby Boucher
    Kathy Bates
    Kathy Bates
    • Mama Boucher
    Henry Winkler
    Henry Winkler
    • Coach Klein
    Fairuza Balk
    Fairuza Balk
    • Vicki Vallencourt
    Jerry Reed
    Jerry Reed
    • Red Beaulieu
    Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
    Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
    • Derek Wallace
    • (as Larry Gilliard Jr.)
    Blake Clark
    Blake Clark
    • Farmer Fran
    Peter Dante
    Peter Dante
    • Gee Grenouille
    Jonathan Loughran
    Jonathan Loughran
    • Lyle Robideaux
    Al Whiting
    • Casey Bugge
    Clint Howard
    Clint Howard
    • Paco
    Allen Covert
    Allen Covert
    • Walter
    Rob Schneider
    Rob Schneider
    • Townie
    Todd Holland
    • Greg Meaney
    Robert Kokol
    • Professor
    Frank Coraci
    Frank Coraci
    • Roberto
    Jennifer Taylor
    Jennifer Taylor
    • Rita
    • (as Jennifer Bini Taylor)
    James Bates Jr.
    • West Mississippi Lineman
    • (as James Bates)
    • Director
      • Frank Coraci
    • Writers
      • Tim Herlihy
      • Adam Sandler
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews387

    6.2187.5K
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    Featured reviews

    6Quinoa1984

    Sandler's best since Billy Madison

    I really liked the Waterboy. It was crude, raw, and utterly funny. Adam Sandler gives his funniest yet since his 1995 cult hit Billy Madison. In this feel good movie, Sandler plays a dumb waterboy who gets on a football team and becomes a damn good tackler. Everything in this film is funny, from beginning to end. Henry Winkler has his best in years as a down on his luck coach and Kathy Bates is Dead Pan funny as mama. Great all around. A+
    8dobbin-4

    The Waterboy is one of Adam Sandlers best comedy films.

    Now I am a huge fan of Adam Sandlers dumb-ass films but I think that is why people have let him a have a career so long. They just love his dumb-ass movies. The movie centres around the local water boy who when the coach of the football team notices he can tackle hard when mad he puts him as the new quarterback of tackeler guy sorry I am Australian. The movie is good on many pointers as it shows that Adam Sandler can play 2 different types of dumb guys, nice dumb and guys and mean dumb guys. If you have not already seen this you should take some time to seat down and enjoy the movie. Overall this movie is a fun excuse to seat down and dumb out but I can see why people would not like this film. I rate this film 83%.
    9rdambroso

    Oh Come ON!! This was not meant to be high art..just great fun

    All of the characters were well developed and entertaining. This movie never pretended to be anything more than it was..a fun, wacky comedy with a bizarre plot. Anyone who beats this up for being dumb should be taken out back and paddled. It is obvious THEY are too dumb to realize that this was DESIGNED to be dumb. Anyway..there are too many scenes that I STILL laugh at today, even though I have seen this 1/2 dozen times. So, if you are looking for the greatest film ever made on all levels..give this a pass..if you can relate to the humor, it's a wonderful hoot! I am not a die hard Adam Sandler fan, but I think he scored a 10 in this one for likability and laughs.
    7TheLittleSongbird

    The plot is admittedly slow, but the film is somewhat endearing

    I do agree the story takes a long time to develop, the script at times is not great(too many dumb moments) and the pacing is uneven, but The Waterboy is actually somewhat endearing. And it has Adam Sandler in it, an actor I don't care for, but he was surprisingly amusing here. I do think though that Kathy Bates(ever the pro)as the Cajun mum and Henry Winkler as the bewildered coach gave much better performances. The film does look striking, with nice cinematography and scenery, and the soundtrack is nice. The sports sequences are lovingly done, and the direction is efficient enough. Overall, it isn't groundbreaking, but it is an endearing and amusing film. 7/10 Bethany Cox
    9Steave

    Check your brain, then get ready to laugh

    A lot of people are shocked at how dumb, unbelievable, and campy this movie is. Obviously they've lived in a cave and never seen an Adam Sandler movie before.

    You don't watch Adam Sandler for a cerebral workout. You'll never see him starring opposite Anthony Hopkins or Merryl Streep. Okay, I realize his IS cast opposite Oscar-Winner Kathy Bates, but don't confuse me with details. This movie is just a bunch of jokes wrapped around a weak plot.

    Still, the jokes are really funny. I don't usually laugh out loud at the movies, but I guffawed at many parts of this movie. If nothing else, it stimulates the Three Stooges area of the frontal lobe of your brain.

    On the down side, Rob Schneider must be a good friend, because his role was obviously a last-minute toss in. Schneider is not funny in this movie and his "lines" are by far the campiest element of this movie.

    Still, it was amazing how the crowd with which I saw it reacted to the football scenes in the movie. I looked around and everyone was anxious or cheering like they're best friend was playing in the Super Bowl. Also, this is the hardest I've seen an audience laugh since "There's Something About Mary".

    In short, if you can accept the fact that the plot is completely unbelievable and just watch it for laughs, you will enjoy this movie. If you're looking for Oscar-winning drama, go elsewhere.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kathy Bates was convinced to take the role of Helen "Mama" Boucher by her niece, a longtime fan of Adam Sandler.
    • Goofs
      Louisiana's local law enforcement is shown wearing uniforms that say "County Sheriff". Louisiana doesn't have counties; it has parishes.
    • Quotes

      Bobby Boucher: My Mama says that alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush.

    • Alternate versions
      In the theatrical version, the note Bobby gets early in the film reads "eat shit and kill yourself." For edited-for-TV versions the note reads "I hope you choke on your dandruff."
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Living Out Loud/Unmade Beds/American History X/John Carpenter's Vampires/The Celebration (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      Born on the Bayou
      Written by John Fogerty

      Performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival

      Courtesy of Fantasy Inc.

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    FAQ20

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 6, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cầu Thủ Xách Nước
    • Filming locations
      • Stetson University - 421 N. Woodland Boulevard, DeLand, Florida, USA(Inside and outside shots)
    • Production companies
      • Touchstone Pictures
      • Jack Giarraputo Productions
      • Robert Simonds Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $23,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $161,491,646
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $39,414,071
      • Nov 8, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $185,991,646
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 30m(90 min)
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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