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, Henry Winkler

6 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adam Sandler	...	Bobby Boucher
Kathy Bates	...	Mama Boucher
Henry Winkler	...	Coach Klein
Fairuza Balk	...	Vicki Vallencourt
Jerry Reed	...	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.

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Plot Keywords:

domineering mother | american football game | american football player | tackling someone | reference to colonel sanders | 

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Taglines:

High-Quality H20

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Genres:

Comedy | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and some crude sexual humor

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was the highest-grossing football/sports film of all time, before being beaten by The Blind Side (2009). Kathy Bates appeared in both as well.

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Goofs

At the end, when Bobby's team scores to win the game, they still would have had to go for a 1 or 2-point conversion, so the game's score should have been 31-27 or 32-27.

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Quotes

Mama Boucher: No son of mine is gonna play any foos-ball.

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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."

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Connections

Spoofed in The Replacements (2000)

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Soundtracks

New Year's Eve
Written by Waddy Wachtel and Joe Walsh
Performed by Joe Walsh
Courtesy of Pyramid Records

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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Waterboy

Filming Locations:

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$23,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$39,414,071, 8 November 1998

Gross USA:

$161,491,646

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$185,991,646

Company Credits

Production Co:

Robert Simonds Productions, Touchstone Pictures, Waterboy Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1