The Waterboy (1998)

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, Fairuza Balk

5 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adam Sandler	...	Robert 'Bobby' Boucher Jr.
Kathy Bates	...	Helen 'Mama' Boucher
Fairuza Balk	...	Vicki Vallencourt
Henry Winkler	...	Coach Klein
Jerry Reed	...	Coach Red Beaulieu
Lawrence Gilliard Jr.	...	Derek Wallace (as Larry Gilliard Jr.)
Blake Clark	...	Farmer Fran
Peter Dante	...	Gee Grenouille
Jonathan Loughran	...	Lyle Robideaux
Al Whiting	...	Casey Bugge
Clint Howard	...	Paco
Allen Covert	...	Walter
Rob Schneider	...	Townie
Todd Holland	...	Greg Meaney
Robert Kokol	...	Professor

Storyline

Bobby Boucher is the lowly waterboy for a college football team, until the coach discovers his amazing talent for tackling people much bigger than him. He signs the Waterboy as the new star player, but Bobby must keep it secret from his overbearing and domineering mother.

---

Plot Keywords:

water | coach | college | college football | obesity | 

---

Taglines:

A man with a serious drinking problem

---

Genres:

Comedy | Sport

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and some crude sexual humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Waterboy

Filming Locations:

Citrus Bowl - 1610 W. Church Street, Orlando, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$28,100,000 (Non-US) (13 August 1999)

Gross:

£3,432,519 (UK) (18 June 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Robert Simonds Productions, Touchstone Pictures, Waterboy Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There were two mules trained for this film, Steve and Billy. The mule in the film is Steve. Steve wouldn't "bray excitedly", so when you hear a mule, it is Billy braying.

---

Goofs

During the backyard barbecue at the Bouchers', the size and shape of the bruise on Bobby's eye changes during the course of the scene.

---

Quotes

Guy Grenouille: Hey, moron! Hey! Moron! Duh! L-L-Look at me. I'm th-th-the waterboy. Duh! I got a wooden spoon! Duh!
Greg Meaney: [Bobby pictures the people who tomented him in the past] Smells like you need a shower, stinky!
[Meaney laughs evily]
Coach Red Beaulieu: You're fired!
[Red laughs evilly]
Bobby Boucher: [Captain Insano and Jim Simmonds laugh]
[Bobby becomes enraged]
Bobby Boucher: Stop makin' fun of me!
Guy Grenouille: Red thirty! Hut!
[Bobby chases Grenouille, screaming, then ramming and tackling him hard to the ground]
[...]

---

Connections

Spoofed in The Replacements (2000)

---

Soundtracks

"Drum Cadence"
Performed by The UCLA Bruin Marching Band

User Reviews

The Funnyboy.

Amusing but typical Adam Sandler vehicle about a water boy for a football team who has the amazing ability to get extremely mad and violent (picture Sandler as the Incredible Hulk). When a football coach (Henry Winkler, a.k.a. The Fonz) sees Sandler's amazing talent, he gets him on his football team...much to the dissaproval of his overcontrolling mother (Kathy Bates).

A lightweight comedy handled with playfulness. "The Waterboy" scores big points for laughs. If you want an hour and a half of fun, see this movie!

3.5/5 stars -

John Ulmer