Big Daddy (1999)

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.

Director:

Dennis Dugan

Writers:

Steve Franks (story), Steve Franks (screenplay)

Stars:

Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart

8 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Sonny Koufax is 32 years old. He's a law school graduate. He's got a nice apartment in Manhattan. There's just one problem. He does nothing, except sit on his butt and live off an investment that was the result of a meager lawsuit he won a year ago. But after his fed up girlfriend leaves him, he comes up with the ingenious idea to adopt a five year old boy to showcase his newfound maturity. But things don't go as planned, and Sonny finds himself the unlikely foster father that will change his perspective on just looking out for himself.

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Plot Keywords:

responsibility | homosexual | bed wetting | waitress | 1990s | 

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Taglines:

Nature called. Look who answered.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and some crude humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

25 June 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Guy Gets Kid

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$34,200,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$41,536,370, 27 June 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$163,479,795

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$234,801,895

Company Credits

Production Co:

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

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The judge's last name is "Healy". This may be a reference to Dennis Dugan's directorial debut, Problem Child (1990), in which John Ritter's character's family name was Healy.

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Goofs

At the super market, Julian has an itch and Corinne lays a package of frozen vegetables on his arm. In the first shot, the package is right side up. But in the very next shot the package is upside down.

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Quotes

[discussing Julian's doll Scuba Steve]
Nazo: I had doll like that once. But my cat, he bite his head off!
Julian: What kind of cat would do that?
Nazo: You calling me a liar?

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Crazy Credits

Note to Cozy's: Adam also likes your hamburgers

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Alternate Versions

When aired on TV, some scenes were altered, like:

• When Sonny finds out McDonalds stopped serving breakfast at 10:30, his scream of "horseshit!" was changed to "Noooo!";
• The word 'ass' was changed to 'butt'; the word 'shit' was altered or worked around;
• The names of Sonny's snacks when he's watching hockey were blurred out; Sonny's line of "the money I got in the cab accident is kicking ass in the stock market" was altered.

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Connections

Referenced in Scream Queens: Warts and All (2016)

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Soundtracks

Ga Ga
Written by Melanie C, Phil Thornalley, and Dave Munday
Produced by Rick Rubin
Performed by Melanie C (as Melanie C)
Courtesy of Virgin Records Ltd.

User Reviews

Adam Sandler vehicle - nuff said

Big Daddy- Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler) is the irresponsible guy - he has no manners, and no clue. Although Sonny has somehow managed to get a girlfriend, she is tired of his aimless ways, and gives him an ultimatum - do something with your life or I leave. Fate steps in with a ready-made 'solution': Sonny will raise the little boy who was dropped off at the apartment with a note proclaiming his roommate (Jon Stewart) the father, his girlfriend will realize his newfound responsibility, and all will be well. Plausibility this movie doesn't have. But we are talking about Adam Sandler, the man who has given us such brainteasers as Happy Gilmore, and Billy Madison. Sandler's frat-boy humor - childish and, scatological - has however, drawn a huge following as evidenced by The Waterboy's huge box office, (a movie that I myself enjoyed and will surely be pilloried for). I expected one thing from this movie - a good laugh. And it delivered. The obligatory tearjerker scenes were painful, but thankfully few and far between. If you are in the mood for some humor-light on cheap Tuesday, give this movie a chance.