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:

You can mess with him. But don't mess with his water.

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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

Adam Sandler's favorite classic movie of all time is The Wizard of Oz (1939). Fairuza Balk (Vicki Vallencourt) played Dorothy in Return to Oz (1985).

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Goofs

While showing the Louisiana State cheerleaders, the mascot drinks from a bottle of alcohol with the cap still on. This is just the mascot pretending to take a drink and passing out. It's not like the person inside the mascot could have actually taken a drink with the costume on even if the cap was off.

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Quotes

Bobby Boucher: [after reading a question about Benjamin Franklin] Ben Franklin.
Young Bobby Boucher: [flashback to Bobby's childhood] Mama, when did Ben Franklin invent electricity?
Mama Boucher: That's nonsense, I invented electricity. Ben Franklin is the Devil!

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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

Referenced in Nostalgia Critic: Pixels (2015)

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Soundtracks

Lonely Boy
Written and Performed by Andrew Gold
Courtesy of Elektra Entertainment Group
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

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+

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