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The Waterboy

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The Waterboy

PG-13

Released Nov 6, 1998

1h 28m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

33%

Tomatometer

75 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Raised by his overprotective mother, Helen, Bobby Boucher Jr. is the water boy for a successful college football team coached by Red Beaulieu. When Beaulieu fires Bobby, he takes up the same position for a losing rival team, led by despairing Coach Klein. After witnessing Bobby beat up a player who teased him too much, Klein adds him to the roster as a linebacker. Soon, Klein's players are championship contenders.

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Critics Consensus

This is an insult to its genre with low humor and cheap gags.

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Andrew O'Hehir

Sight & Sound

A witless and utterly predictable comic fantasy about a misfit turned hero.

Jun 18, 2012

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Really dumb, but many teens love it anyway.

Rated: 1/5

Dec 29, 2010

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Glenn Lovell

Variety

The formulaic mix of mirth and mayhem is aimed way down the MTV food chain...

Jun 2, 2008

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

This juvenile, unnecessary, and utterly pathetic madness can barely be considered a comedy; the jokes are so immature and flat that it more closely resembles a tragedy.

Rated: 2/10

Sep 25, 2020

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

An agreeable yet forgettable comedy...

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 10, 2010

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Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews

There's an innocence to The Waterboy that makes the picture part slapstick and part fairy tale...The only problem with letting kids see this Adam Sandler movie? They might want to see another one. [Blu-ray]

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 12, 2009

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Audience Member

Absolutely love this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

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Matt O

“Goofy, quotable, and surprisingly fun” – 3.5/5 The Waterboy is definitely one of Adam Sandler’s most memorable comedies. It’s ridiculous, over-the-top, and full of lines that people still quote years later, and honestly, that’s part of its charm. Bobby Boucher is a lovable underdog, and the movie blends football with classic Sandler-style humor in a way that’s dumb but kind of brilliant at the same time. Some jokes hit better than others, and yeah, it’s not exactly a deep or smart movie, but it knows what it is and leans into it. It’s not perfect, and if you’re not into goofy comedies, this probably won’t win you over. But for fans of late-‘90s Sandler or anyone just looking for a fun sports flick with heart, The Waterboy still delivers.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/22/25

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Heidi L

Not polically correct at all, but a really entertaining comedy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/05/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme nem o adam Sandler que é protagonista, os personagens sao ruins, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/05/25

Full Review

Holy M

Quite possibly the greatest film ever made. You wanna know what? It's the highest-grossing sports comedy of all time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/08/25

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Harrison B

I laughed out loud multiple times, which is literally all you can expect from a comedy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

Full Review

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Frank Coraci

Director

Adam Sandler

Bobby Boucher

Kathy Bates

Helen 'Mama' Boucher

Henry Winkler

Coach Klein

Fairuza Balk

Vicki Vallencourt

Jerry Reed

Coach Red Beaulieu

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12%

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Synopsis

Raised by his overprotective mother, Helen, Bobby Boucher Jr. is the water boy for a successful college football team coached by Red Beaulieu. When Beaulieu fires Bobby, he takes up the same position for a losing rival team, led by despairing Coach Klein. After witnessing Bobby beat up a player who teased him too much, Klein adds him to the roster as a linebacker. Soon, Klein's players are championship contenders.

Director: Frank Coraci
Producer: Jack Giarraputo, Robert Simonds
Screenwriter: Tim Herlihy, Allen Pasqua, Adam Sandler
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Waterboy Productions
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 6, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $161.5M
Runtime: 1h 28m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS

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