It would be a flat out lie to say that The Waterboy is a good film. It would be even more of a lie to say that it is tastefully finished. But it would be the biggest lie of them all to say that it is not exciting and enjoyable to watch. When you appreciate the lack of intellect and know the target demographic of college fraternities, teens, and other individuals between the ages of 8 and 24, you can find a very humorous attribute that can get a cheap laugh out of just about everyone.
Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) is loyal to a college football team as a waterboy. Owing to his dedication, though, he is his team's laughing stock. So, he just got shot. He manages to secure a job with a different squad, however, to say the least, they are slightly pathetic. The coach is wacko, the assistant coach speaks in grunts fluently, and on the sidelines, the cheerleaders and mascot smoke and drink. The waterboy arrives inevitably from nowhere and becomes the team hero. But he must first overcome the constraints of his over-protective mother (Kathy Bates).
Adam Sander is precisely what his films are; he's a joke. His character is utterly unreal in this "movie," and poorly acted. But, the whole trick is that. With his idiotic character who stutters and specializes as a "waterboy", he seems to have hit gold. The fact who he displays little acting talent makes him make the film all that much more enjoyable. And the depiction of his mother who disapproves of "foosball" by Kathy Bates is comically brilliant. She has shown us, however, unlike Sandler, that she can act, and hence her position is all the more significant achievement. The bottom line is; however, that stay away from this one if you are looking for acting and drama.
The story, as you can see, like a magic show. All looks and sounds fine, but you feel like it was all done cheaply when all is said and done. In comparison to The Wedding Singer, though, this is hardly a touching romance. A juvenile delinquent who is persuaded to make Bobby Boucher a guy is the love interest. This is only one example of how the movie's moronic quality undermines any attempts it may make at times to be semi-serious.
What's good about The Waterboy, then? It is similar to the routine of a stand-up comedy. There is no substance at all to it, but the jokes continue to roll. That's why there's so much fun in this film. You have little to worry about. It might not be the best material for videos, but it's as good as dumb comedy can get.