One of Adam Sandler’s best movies, Billy Madison is the absolutely hilarious movie that sparked Sandler’s long reign as a romantic comedy box office sweepstakes. Exhibiting sharp wit, combined with a touch of sensibility for the fair sex, the former Saturday Night Live standout successfully distances himself from the path of raunchy and raw comedy and creates a fine medium between outrageous and lighthearted comedy. It is a path that would later follow with the blockbusters Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy and Mr. Deeds. At Billy Madison, follow that same path to perfection …

Billy Madison follows the life of a character with the same name (Adam Sandler): a 27-year-old unemployed heir to a hotel fortune lacking all ambition. The opening scenes capture Billy lying poolside with his friends, hungover and completely insane, and set the tone for a movie full of humorous antics and great lines. But Billy’s lazy life is turned upside down when his father (Darren McGavin) decides he will step down from the management of his multi-million dollar hotel empire. He names his arrogant and condescending assistant Eric Gordon (Bradley Whitford) as heir apparent. The appointment comes as a surprise to Billy, who thought he would automatically inherit the reins after his father’s retirement. But when Billy’s father reveals that he paid all of Billy’s teachers from kindergarten through high school to give his son a passing grade, the young man begins to understand why. Billy quickly offers his father a deal in the sense that if he can pass grades K-12 again, he will inherit control of the hotel empire after all. His father agrees.

As Billy goes through each grade, he meets several new friends, mostly third graders. He also falls in love with his beautiful third-grade teacher, Veronica Vaughn (Bridgette Wilson), who is quick to condemn Billy as lazy, self-absorbed, and in trouble. However, later he recognizes his sensitivity and his special way with children, and also develops an interest in him. Also interested in Billy is gay elementary school principal Max Anderson (Josh Mostel). When Eric Gordon sees that Billy is going to successfully pass each grade, he blackmails Principal Anderson. If Anderson doesn’t go on TV and tell the world that Billy paid him to pass, he will tell everyone about Anderson’s hidden past as a professional wrestler named “The Revolting Blob” who accidentally killed another wrestler in the ring.

When Billy’s elementary school friends come to his aid, it is determined that Billy and Eric will fight for control of the hotel empire through an “academic decathlon.” Now only Billy’s wits can win him what he wants most …

Billy Madison is a movie with several funny scenes. In one such scene, a third grader accidentally “pees his pants” and is afraid to get on the bus during a field trip. Sandler splashes some water on his pants and tells the other kids that “peeing in your pants is great!” thus saving the child from shame. In another scene, Billy calls his former classmate Danny McGrath (Steve Buscemi) to apologize for teasing him as a child. After the phone call, Danny crosses Billy off his master “people to kill” list. Later, Danny comes to Billy’s aid.

Overall, this is a fun movie. If you like lighthearted comedy with just a hint of outrageous behavior, then you will enjoy this smash hit from Adam Sandler. Billy Madison won’t be on anyone’s list of the great Academy Award-winning movie masterpieces, but it’s just as entertaining as any other movie. That is why I classify it as an unmissable film. Make sure to check it out …