Billy Madison

Critics Consensus

Audiences who enjoy Adam Sandler's belligerent comic energy may find him in joyously obnoxious form as Billy Madison, but this thinly-plotted starring vehicle surrounds its star with an aggressively pedestrian movie.

40%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 47

79%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 765,853

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Movie Info

Master of infantilism Adam Sandler stars as the title character, an overgrown rich kid who wiles away his days poolside, swilling kegs of beer and appreciating fine nudie magazines such as "Drunk Chicks" -- that is, until his father (Darren McGavin) decides to test his mettle as future head of the family business by posing a challenge: retake and pass grades K-12 in 24 weeks or watch control of the business pass to the requisite conniving underling (Bradley Whitford). Forced into action, Billy vows to change his drunken ways. He enrolls in kindergarten, makes new friends, pelts pint-sized kids with playground balls and develops a love interest in a pretty teacher (Bridgitte Wilson). The action culminates in an academic showdown between Billy and the purportedly Harvard-educated underling for the future of the family enterprise -- no small feat for a man fresh out of the first grade. There's gross, moronic, off-color low humor galore in Billy Madison, particularly in one subplot involving a romantically forward elementary school principal (Josh Mostel, son of theater great Zero Mostel) and his secret former life as a professional wrestler; another scene includes the hypertense school bus driver (Chris Farley, in a typical over-the-top cameo) lying in the meadow with a hallucinatory penguin. As one might suspect, Billy Madison is not for every taste; Sandler fans will laugh from start to finish; others beware. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi

Cast

Adam Sandler
as Billy Madison
Darren McGavin
as Brian Madison
Bridgette Wilson-Sampras
as Veronica
Bradley Whitford
as Eric Gordon
Josh Mostel
as Max Anderson
Norm Macdonald
as Frank
Mark Beltzman
as Jack
Larry Hankin
as Carl Alphonse
Theresa Merritt
as Juanita
Dina Platias
as Miss Lippy
Hrant Alianak
as Pete
Vincent Marino
as Cook
Diane Douglass
as Nurse
Jack Mather
as Ted 'Old Man' Clemens
Christopher Kelk
as Rollo the janitor
Marc Donato
as Nodding 1st Grader
Keith Cole
as Penguin
Chris Mei
as Penguin
Conor Devitt
as O'Doyle (Grade 1)
Jared Durand
as Scotty Logan (Grade 1)
Jessica Nakamura
as Tricia Labonte (Grade 1)
Lawrence Nakamura
as Lawn Guy
Helen Hughes
as 2nd Grade Teacher
Justin Williams
as 3rd Grader
Jacelyn Holmes
as 2nd Grader
Chris Farley
as O'Doyle the Bus Driver
Claire Cellucci
as Attractive Lady
Shane Faberman
as Clown
Al Maini
as Chauffeur
Jared Cook
as Ernie (Grade 3)
Christian Matheson
as O'Doyle (Grade 3)
Austin Pool
as Dan (Grade 3)
Stacey Wheal
as Jennifer (Grade 3)
Shanna Bresse
as Susan (Grade 3)
Kyle Bailey
as Kyle
Vernon Chapman
as Butler
Mandy Watts
as Maid
Gladys O'Connor
as Tour Guide
Marcia Bennett
as 4th Grade Teacher
Diane Douglas
as Nurse
Tim Herlihy
as Architect
Frank T. Nakashima
as Architect
Joyce Gordon
as Lunch Lady
Jordan Lerner-Ellis
as Pothead
Daniel Lerner-Ellis
as Pothead
Robert Smigel
as Mr. Oblaski
Melissa Korzenko
as Nancy Connors
Colin Smith
as O'Doyle (Grade 9)
Jeff Moser
as Paul
Amos Crawley
as Rod
Tex Konig
as Crazy Persons
Eduardo Gómez
as Crazy Persons
Tanya Grout
as Joyce (Eric's Sercetary)
Benjamin Barrett
as Tenth Grader
Matthew Ferguson
as Tenth Grader
Sean Lett
as O'Doyle (Grade 12)
Michael Ayoub
as Drama Teacher
Lawrence Nakumara
as Lawn Guy
Gino Veltri
as Rock Singer
James Downey
as Principal
Bob Rodgers
as Mr. O'Doyle
Margo Wladyka
as Mrs. O'Doyle
Allison Robinson
as Newswoman
Marcel Jean Gilles
as Haitian Gardener
Suzanna Shebib
as High School Girl
Steve Buscemi
as Danny McGrath
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News & Interviews for Billy Madison

New on Netflix in August
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Critic Reviews for Billy Madison

All Critics (47) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (19) | Rotten (28)

  • If you've ever had a yen to relive the third grade, this must be the next best thing.

    March 31, 2019 | Full Review…

    Janet Maslin

    New York Times
    Top Critic

  • Billy Madison is a textbook example of a half-decent idea that never got developed beyond the "lying around drinking beer and making jokes with your buddy" stage.

    March 31, 2019 | Rating: 0.5/4 | Full Review…

    John Petrakis

    Chicago Tribune
    Top Critic

  • The latest entry in the American cinema's investigation of dumb-and-dumber heroes.

    March 31, 2019 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…

    Gene Siskel

    Chicago Tribune
    Top Critic

  • Even on its own dim-bulb terms, this runt of a comedy never locates its central joke: Is it that Billy the child-man doofus doesn't fit in with his pint-size peers or that he fits in all too well?

    September 7, 2011 | Rating: D | Full Review…

    Owen Gleiberman

    Entertainment Weekly
    Top Critic

  • Those unfamiliar with Sandler's antics may...begin to find him annoying sometime between the appearance of the Universal logo and the end of the opening credits.

    June 1, 2008 | Full Review…

    Brian Lowry

    Variety
    Top Critic

  • Director Tamra Davis and screenwriters Sandler and Tim Herlihy scatter the bad jokes like fertilizer. Nothing sprouts.

    February 13, 2001 | Full Review…

    Peter Rainer

    Los Angeles Times
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (47)

Audience Reviews for Billy Madison

  • Oct 02, 2015
    One of Sandlers worst films, Silly plot, Very poor acting and Sandler was just annoying and unfunny, It's boring and predictable, Save your time and avoid this.
    Jamie C Super Reviewer
  • Jul 27, 2013
    Though its jokes are of stupidity and grade-school humor, Billy Madison is a decent comedy from the creation of Adam Sandler. The film is immature and has memorable quotes/scenes that die-hard Sandler fans will remember. 4/5
    Eugene B Super Reviewer
  • Mar 14, 2012
    [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img] One of the earliest Adam Sandler comedy vehicles is the highly over rated Billy Madison. To put it simple, it's a childish comedy with the occasional morsel of charm and a few good laughs. It's at best, mildly amusing because the film gets sillier at every turn rather than getting any funnier. I prefer Happy Gilmore because the character suited Sandler better and the film itself was a little less moronic, smarter, had a lot of memorable scenes and was more ambitious. Billy Madison at times, because of it's stupidity, is just uncomfortable to watch.
    Directors C Super Reviewer
  • Feb 12, 2012
    Talking about bad movie... Sandler was being overly stereotypical, gosh I hated the lisp and redneck tone. It was not even funny, probably due to the bad script. The jokes were randomly thrown in. It's just not good enough
    Sylvester K Super Reviewer
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