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The Waterboy

1998Movie1 h 30 minPG-13

Comedy
51
MediocreGoodWatch score
IMDb6.2Metacritic416.5

An uplifting, wholesome comedy movie about sports and family.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Skip it if you want dark or edgy material

Where to watch

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Not for scares, big ideas or brutality.

Movies with

Story

You can mess with him. But don't mess with his water.

Bobby Boucher is a water boy for a struggling college football team. The coach discovers Boucher's hidden rage makes him a tackling machine whose bone-crushing power might vault his team into the playoffs.

Feels like

  • Classic Adam Sandler Comedy
  • Underdog Sports Drama
  • Mother-Son Codependency
  • High School Football Culture
  • Slapstick Physical Humor
  • Heartwarming Redemption Arc
  • Cringe-Inducing Social Awkwardness
  • 90s Pop Culture Staple
  • Emotional Catharsis through Sport

Cast

24 of 35

Crew

Directed by
Frank Coraci
Written by
Adam Sandler, Tim Herlihy
Produced by
Jack Giarraputo, Robert Simonds
Music by
Alan Pasqua

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

November 6, 1998 · 1 h 30 min · PG-13

Released
November 6, 1998
Runtime
1 h 30 min
Age rating
PG-13
Content
Strong Language, Violence
Genres
Comedy
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$23 million
Box office
$186 million
Available in
65 countries

Tropes

Foreign Queasine, Establishing Character Moment, Disability Superpower +9

  • Foreign Queasine
  • Establishing Character Moment
  • Disability Superpower
  • Apologetic Attacker
  • Oh, Crap!
  • My God, What Have I Done?
  • Took a Level in Badass
  • This Loser Is You
  • It's Personal
  • Parental Abandonment
  • Shout-Out
  • What the Hell, Hero?

12 of 146 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The Waterboy?"

Questions about The Waterboy

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Waterboy?

YouTube TV

In the United States, The Waterboy streams on YouTube TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 51 other countries.

Is The Waterboy worth watching?

51
MediocreGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 51 (IMDb 6.2 and Metacritic 41). Audiences rate it higher (64 out of 100) than critics (41).

Is The Waterboy okay for kids?

PG-13Strong languageViolence

Yes: it's rated PG-13 in the United States for strong language and violence, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Will The Waterboy make me laugh?

Very funny

Yes, a lot: the humor is mostly situational comedy (9 of 10) and slapstick (9 of 10).

Can I half-watch The Waterboy?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 3 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

Was The Waterboy a box office hit?

Budget$23 million
Box office$186 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $23 million to make and earned $186 million worldwide, 8.1 times its budget.

What tropes does The Waterboy use?

Foreign QueasineEstablishing Character MomentDisability SuperpowerApologetic AttackerOh, Crap!My God, What Have I Done?Took a Level in BadassThis Loser Is YouIt's PersonalParental AbandonmentShout-OutWhat the Hell, Hero?and 134 more

TV Tropes lists 146 tropes for it, including Foreign Queasine, Establishing Character Moment, and Disability Superpower.