Big Daddy (1999)

Director:

Dennis Dugan

Writers (WGA):

Steve Franks (story)
Steve Franks (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Nature called. Look who answered.

Plot:

A lazy law school grad adopts a kid to impress his girlfriend, but everything doesn't go as planned and he becomes the unlikely foster father.

Plot Keywords:

Law | Law School | Responsibility | Homeless Man | Vomit

Awards:

8 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Adam Sandler	...	Sonny Koufax
Joey Lauren Adams	...	Layla Maloney
Jon Stewart	...	Kevin Gerrity
Cole Sprouse	...	Julian 'Frankenstien' McGrath
Dylan Sprouse	...	Julian 'Frankenstien' McGrath
Josh Mostel	...	Arthur Brooks
Leslie Mann	...	Corinne Maloney
Allen Covert	...	Phil D'Amato
Rob Schneider	...	Delivery Guy
Kristy Swanson	...	Vanessa
Joseph Bologna	...	Lenny Koufax
Peter Dante	...	Tommy Grayton
Jonathan Loughran	...	Mike
Steve Buscemi	...	Homeless Guy
Tim Herlihy	...	Singing Kangaroo
Edmund Lyndeck	...	Mr. Herlihy
Larkin Malloy	...	Restaurant Owner
Samantha Brown	...	Employee
Neal Huff	...	Customer
Geoffrey Horne	...	Sid
Greg Haberny	...	NYU Student
Jackie Sandler	...	Waitress (as Jacqueline Titone)
George Hall	...	Elderly Driver
Peggy Shay	...	Lady at Tollbooth
Alfonso Ramírez	...	George (as Alfonso Ramirez)
Salvatore Cavaliere	...	Angry Motorist
Kelly Dugan	...	Kelly
Jared Sandler	...	Jared
Jillian Sandler	...	Jillian
Helen Lloyd Breed	...	Ms. Foote
Chloé Hult	...	Schoolteacher
Carmen De Lavallade	...	Judge (as Carmen deLavallade)
Steven Brill	...	Castellucci (as Steve Brill)
Glen Trotiner	...	Bailiff
Jorge Buccio	...	Himself
Cat Jagar	...	Receptionist
Deborah S. Craig	...	Paralegal
Nicholas Taylor	...	Older Kid
Cole Hawkins	...	Cole
Gabriel Jacobs	...	Jeff
Michael Arcate	...	Broken Arm Kid
Gaetano Lisi	...	Hot Dog Vendor
Michael Giarraputo	...	Hoboken Motorist
Steve Glenn	...	Guy at Party
Al Cerullo	...	Helicopter Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dennis Dugan	...	Reluctant Trick-or-Treat Giver
Diana Berry	...	Waitress in Bistro (uncredited)
Dar Billingham	...	Hooter's Girl (uncredited)
Brian Canberg	...	NYU Student (uncredited)
Marshall Dancing Elk Lucas	...	Crashing RollerBlader (uncredited)
Lian Moy	...	Student (uncredited)
Laurie Wallace	...	Hooters Waitress (uncredited)
Waneeki Yokomee-Fung	...	Mom (uncredited)

Directed by
Dennis Dugan

Writing credits (WGA)
Steve Franks		(story)
Steve Franks		(screenplay) and
Tim Herlihy		(screenplay) &
Adam Sandler		(screenplay)

Produced by
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	executive producer
Allen Covert	....	associate producer
Sidney Ganis	....	producer (as Sid Ganis)
Jack Giarraputo	....	producer
Michelle Holdsworth	....	associate producer
Adam Sandler	....	executive producer
Robert Simonds	....	executive producer
Alex Siskin	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Teddy Castellucci

Cinematography by
Theo van de Sande		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jeff Gourson

Casting by
Roger Mussenden

Production Design by
Perry Andelin Blake

Art Direction by
Rick Butler

Set Decoration by
Leslie Bloom

Costume Design by
Ellen Lutter

Makeup Department
Victor DeNicola	....	key hair stylist
Ann Pala	....	hair stylist: Mr. Sandler
Ann Pala	....	makeup artist: Mr. Sandler
Carla White	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
David J. Grant	....	production supervisor
Cheryl Quarantiello	....	unit production manager (as Cheryl Quarantiello Schnitzler)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Timothy Donohue	....	second second assistant director
Dean Garvin	....	second assistant director
Bruce Milton	....	dga trainee
Glen Trotiner	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Gary Aharoni	....	on-set dresser
Dominick Direnzi	....	scenic charge
Nancy Griffith	....	second assistant props
Tom McDermott	....	first assistant props (as Thomas McDermott)
Carlos Menéndez	....	assistant art director
Mark Peltzer	....	property master
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator (as Ronald Petagna)
Dick Tice	....	lead man (as Richard Tice)
Loren Weeks	....	assistant art director
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter (uncredited)
Warren Drummond	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Vincent Guarriello	....	key construction grip (uncredited)
Leo Holder	....	graphic artist (uncredited)
Mike Montgomery	....	construction grip (uncredited)

Sound Department
Christopher Boyes	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Chris Boyes)
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist (as Michael Broomberg)
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor
Paul Drenning	....	adr mixer
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer
Victor Ray Ennis	....	first assistant sound editor
Hector C. Gika	....	sound effects editor (as Hector Gika)
Laura R. Harris	....	dialogue editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Chris Hogan	....	supervising foley editor (as Christopher Hogan)
Kimaree Long	....	dialogue editor
Tod A. Maitland	....	sound mixer (as Tod Maitland)
Paul Massey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kelly Oxford	....	supervising adr editor (as Kelly L. Oxford)
Scott Sanders	....	sound effects editor
Mike Schmidt	....	cable person
Michael Scott	....	boom operator
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	supervising sound editor (as Mike Wilhoit)
Cody Dorkin	....	adr (uncredited)
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: dolby film sound (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Sheena Duggal	....	visual effects supervisor: SPI
Doug Forrest	....	high speed compositing artist: SPI
Julia Frey	....	visual effects producer: SPI (as Julia Rivas)
Grant Boucher	....	visual effects executive producer (uncredited)
Karl Denham	....	visual effects supervisor: Station X Studios (uncredited)
Thomas F. Ford IV	....	high speed compositing digital production manager (uncredited)
Anthony Harris	....	assistant color timer (uncredited)
Paul McGhee	....	film scanning and recording (uncredited)
Anne K. Miller	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)
Enrique Munoz	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Alan Precourt	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Rick Sander	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Grant Viklund	....	digital coordinator (uncredited)
Guy Wiedmann	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
Norman Douglass	....	stunts
Peter Epstein	....	stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunt coordinator
Tim Gallin	....	stunts
Tony Guida	....	stunts
Donald John Hewitt	....	stunts
Mick O'Rourke	....	stunts
Michael Russo	....	stunts (as Mike Russo)

Camera and Electrical Department
Myles Aronowitz	....	still photographer
Ralph Brandofino	....	first assistant camera
Michael J. Delaney	....	chief lighting technician (as Michael Delaney)
Edwin Effrein	....	first assistant camera
Brian Fitzsimons	....	second grip
Dennis Gamiello	....	key grip
Chris Hayes	....	camera operator
Petr Hlinomaz	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Nils Johnson	....	video assist operator
David Knox	....	Steadicam operator
David Knox	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Jennifer Koestler	....	camera loader
Edward W. Lowry	....	dolly grip (as Edward Lowry)
James Quinn	....	dolly grip
Michael Cambria	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (uncredited)
James Edmiston	....	company grip (uncredited)
Scott Gregoire	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael 'Flash' McDonald	....	electrician (uncredited)
Joe Mellon	....	company grip (uncredited)
Jason Micallef	....	electrician (uncredited)
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera (uncredited)
Louis Petraglia	....	company grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Elizabeth Boykewich	....	casting associate
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Lee Genick	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Barry Moss	....	casting: New York (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
David Seth Cohen	....	wardrobe production assistant
Winsome G. McKoy	....	wardrobe supervisor
Richard Schurkamp	....	assistant costume designer
Heidi Shulman	....	wardrobe supervisor
Thomas Stokes	....	set costumer
Autumn Saville	....	wardrobe production assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jane Pia Abramowitz	....	first assistant editor (as Jane Abramowitz)
Jacqueline F. Bisbano	....	first assistant editor
Amy Budden	....	second assistant editor
Heather Collier	....	apprentice editor
Richard Conkling	....	first assistant editor
Jason Gourson	....	first assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer (as Denny McNeill)
Dale Jones	....	avid technician (uncredited)
Eric Rigney	....	avid technician (uncredited)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Brooks Arthur	....	score producer
Wende Crowley	....	music coordinator (as Wende Geikie)
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Michael Dilbeck	....	music supervisor
Stuart Grusin	....	music editor
Jon Kull	....	orchestrator
Lori Lahman	....	music coordinator
Stephen Lotwis	....	supervising music editor
Tom Mgrdichian	....	orchestrator
Jackie Sandler	....	music assistant (as Jackie Titone)
Gabe Veltri	....	music mixer
Gabe Veltri	....	music recordist
Michele Wernick	....	music assistant
Benoit Grey	....	midi score transcriptor (uncredited)
Antonio Magrane	....	intern to music supervisor (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Mulligan	....	transportation co-captain
Peter Tavis	....	transportation captain (as Pete Tavis)

Other crew
Gina Castellano	....	assistant: Mr. Ganis
Shannon Causey	....	assistant location manager (as Shannon Bowen)
James Cohen	....	production assistant
Justin Cooke	....	location manager
Juliet D'Annibale	....	assistant production coordinator
David Dreishpoon	....	craft service
Michael Giarraputo	....	production assistant
Steve Gilbaud	....	first assistant accountant (as Steve Guilbaud)
Marcee Healy	....	assistant: Mr. Dugan
Seth Jacobs	....	production assistant
Lisa Katcher	....	script supervisor
Jonathan Loughran	....	assistant: Mr. Sandler
Dean McCann	....	parking coordinator
Carol McConnaughey	....	unit publicist
Mark McNulty	....	production assistant
Tom McNulty	....	assistant: Mr. Ganis
Eddie Micallef	....	production assistant
J.J. Philbin	....	assistant: Mr. Herlihy
Audra Polk	....	production secretary
Jana Sandler	....	production assistant
Bethann Schebece	....	production assistant (as Beth Schebece)
Debra Tanklow	....	production coordinator
Laura Torrance	....	studio teacher
Nadine F. Wilson	....	production accountant (as Nadine Wilson)
Eli Wolstan	....	assistant: Mr. Giarraputo
Salvatore Cavaliere	....	stand-in: Adam Sandler (uncredited)
Marisa Clayton	....	dailies assistant: Magno Sound & Video (uncredited)
Rennie Cowan	....	assistant avid technician (uncredited)
Jason Farrar	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Adam Hammel	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Michael McElroy	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Vernon Rodriquez	....	assistant parking coordinator (uncredited)
Eva Saks	....	dialogue coach: child actors (uncredited)
Deidre Schrowang	....	payroll (uncredited)
Lynnanne Zager	....	adr voice (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Jack Giarraputo Productions
• Out of the Blue... Entertainment

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (2001) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1999) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Falcon (1999) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors
• Columbia TriStar Film (Germany)
• Columbia TriStar Films (France)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (video)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment
• Sony Pictures (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• V8 (2001) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI) (visual effects)
• Station X Studios (additional visual effects)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  opticals
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles
• Reel Foods  catering
• Signet Soundelux Studios  recorded at
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services
• Sony Scoring  recorded at
• Sylvia Fay Casting  extras casting
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language and some crude humor

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Norway:A | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:12 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #36455) | Philippines:G | Iceland:L | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Jack Giarraputo Productions

Trivia:

The "Scuba Steve" action figure in this movie is a fictional doll made up by Adam Sandler. "Scuba Steve" is based on a doll that Adam Sandler owned when he was a child, called Diver Dan. Diver Dan can be seen briefly in the intro scenes of another Dennis Dugan film, Problem Child (1990).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Julian spills the milk on the floor the milk is spreading towards the back of the room. Then when the camera switches back to Sonny the milk is a circular pool before Sunny put the newspaper on it. The newspaper never gets wet.

Quotes:

Sonny:You can be scared that I might get pickpocketed in a bad neighborhood or break my legs skiing. But don't be scared about me being a dad, because I will not fail. I love this kid too much. I love him as much as you love me, Dad. I'm gonna give him advice and I'm gonna guide him and I'll be there whenever he needs me. I'll fly to New York to be at his court case even if I disagree with why he's there

Movie Connections:

References Show Boat (1929)

Soundtrack:

Rush

generally likable comedy

It's hard not to like "Big Daddy", though diehard fans of Adam Sandler may well cringe at this further step in the sentimentalization of the comic actor. For although this film has raised the hackles of a number of overly sensitive worrywarts for its seeming endorsement of permissive parenting, the film is, in reality, far more soft-hearted than hard-edged. Actually, this seems to be, probably, the wisest direction for Sandler to go in at the moment because, as an actor, he conveys an aura of genuine likability that fits well with his Average Joe persona. "Big Daddy" might have been a better film if it had not given in so easily to sentimentality and predictable emotional uplift, but Sandler's deadpan portrayal of an immature adult forced to grow up into responsibility-laden fatherhood makes the film relatively enjoyable.

Sandler portrays a 30-something loser living in South Manhattan, who has been milking a minor foot injury to the tune of a $200,000 court settlement and whose life, consequently, consists of miniscule employment, a general lack of direction, and a girlfriend who's ready to move on to an older man with a "5-year plan". When a little boy suddenly shows up on his doorstep (the hitherto unknown son of a friend of his), Sandler decides to temporarily take him under his wing in the hopes of winning his girlfriend back. Thus, a man with almost no resources of adult maturity attempts to instill skewed life lessons into a willing, highly impressionable young mind. This leads to Sandler's teaching the boy to indulge in predictable, but surprisingly timid, antisocial behavior such as urinating on public buildings, staying up late, tripping unsuspecting rollerbladers etc. The film is not always at its peak of creative freshness at such times, but Sandler's lowkey cynicism provides some humor.

As Sandler grows to care for his tot and the inevitable forces array themselves against him to take the child away, the film veers off in the direction of sappiness and maudlin tearjerking. One may be moved at times, but one also craves the satirical sharpness and bite that a more courageous screenplay might have provided.

The movie does display an enlightened view of gays (though Hollywood has yet to get past the point where gay characters can do more than merely twinkle at each other), but it loses points for its rather nasty tone towards old people. Still, any film designed to send Dr. Laura into spasms of psychoanalytical outrage should be respected and honored.

Overall, "Big Daddy" is a movie that, if it had taken more audacious pathways, might have been a firstrate comedy. As it is, it provides numerous chuckles and a cuddly warm feeling - and that, given the state of much of big screen comedy these days, is about all we dare allow ourselves to expect.