Metascore

Overwhelming dislike - based on 13 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 148 Ratings

  • Starring: Adam Sandler
  • Summary: Billy Madison (Sandler) is the heir to the Madison Hotel millions but in order to win his father's respect, and his Fortune 500 company, grown-up goof-off Billy must repeat all 12 grades of school ' in just 24 weeks. (Universal)
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 13
  2. Negative: 11 out of 13
  1. It succeeds as a reasonably smart no-brainer. If you've ever had a yen to relive the third grade, this must be the next best thing.
  2. 30
    A more kid-friendly version of "Dumb and Dumber." And there's even a moral: "Yahoo for education," though the movie doesn't really put any muscle behind it.
  3. Adam Sandler's creative songs and silly expressions on "Saturday Night Live" may have turned him into a celebrity, but this movie based solely on his antics doesn't work.

See all 13 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 56
  2. Negative: 4 out of 56
  1. JasonL
    9
    Hey Gary F., you mean to say that beetlejuice was funnier than Billy Madison? Your saying that Michael Keaton is funnier than Adam Sandler, Norm McDonald, and the great Chris Farley? Who are you kidding, Billy Madison is a great comedy and shouldn't be analyzed so much, it's a shame all these magazines gave it such a bad score and that Gary here "film critic extrodanair" gave it such a bad rating.It's a hilarious movie and if you haven't seen it,go out and do so. Expand
  2. Plays in favour of the underdog. Billy Madison is not to be underestimated and neither is Sandler as a typical penguin chasing dummy. The film is a warm and fuzzy flick featuring some of Adam's greatest moments and is certainly one of the best of his career. It proves that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Expand
  3. BonehoC.
    5
    This movie is the most referenced movie at our school. Once a kid said, "You know I never saw that movie," and I said, "Don't worry you're not missing anything," and my friend walks up and says, "Are you kidding? That's like greatest movie of our time," and I say, "For what, 10 minutes of laughes?" So I came here to check it out, and what do you know? The critics hate it, so I was at least somewhat right. I do admit though, there are some laugh at loud moments, but most of it is roll-your-eyes at material. Expand
  4. StabsM
    4
    A prime example of the kind of movie critics hate and the proles love. :) I expected a big disconnect between the "critic" score and the "user" score, but I'm still amazed the user score is an 8.7. Look, guys, I liked this movie OK too. Sandler's dance to "I'll Tumble For You" was funny. So was the dodgeball scene. So was the Meg Ryan/Jack Nicholson discussion. And a handful of others. But the humor that actually worked was limited to a handful of one liners, leaving the viewer with about an hour and twenty minutes of nothing at all. No plot, no interesting characters, no good acting (not even good comedic acting) nothing adventurous or exciting or subversive or anything that makes a comedy actually, you know, GOOD. 8.7? Come on. This is one of the best movies ever? Expand

See all 56 User Reviews

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