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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Billy Madison
Overwhelming dislike
Based on 13 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 90 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Comedy
Written by:
Tim Herlihy
Adam Sandler
Directed by: Tamra Davis
Release Date:
Theatrical: February 10, 1995
DVD: November 17, 1998
Running Time: 89 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG-13
Starring Adam Sandler, Darren McGavin, Bridgette Wilson, Bradley Whitford, Josh Mostel, Norm Macdonald, Mark Beltzman, and Larry Hankin
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)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Crossroads Half Baked
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Variety Brian Lowry
There are a few bursts of sheer, irresistible idiocy -- along the lines of "Wayne's World" or even "Pee-wee's Big Adventure"-- but not enough to sustain the more arid stretches.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Elvis Mitchell
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.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Rita Kempley
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.
Read Full Review >USA Today Susan Wloszczyna
Sandler mugs through a back-to-school daze. [13 February 1995, p.D1]
Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
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.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman
By the end, you feel like a drill sergeant-you want to wipe that stupid grin off Sandler's face.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Peter Rainer
Director Tamra Davis and screenwriters Sandler and Tim Herlihy scatter the bad jokes like fertilizer. Nothing sprouts.
Read Full Review >Empire Ian Nathan
Okay, a couple of sniggers sneak out, but on the whole the effect is stone cold.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Staff (Not credited)
The film should have featured more absurd and nonsensical elements. Certainly the plot is ridiculous, and so completely illogical that to see it fall by the wayside in favor of some inspired lunacy would not have been a loss.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Christopher Harris
Billy Madison is so singularly stupid that "Dumb and Dumber" looks (almost) like a beacon of braininess and taste in comparison.
Read Full Review >Time Richard Schickel
One of the most execrable movies ever made. [6 March 1995, p.100]
Austin Chronicle Joey O'Bryan
A sorry excuse for a movie, and director Davis (CB4, Guncrazy) and star Sandler should be very embarrassed.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 90 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Nick W gave it a10:
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, still. Of course that makes my score biased, but if I went from an completely unbiased point of view, I'd still give this movie a 8 or 9. It's funny and simple while still appealing to someone with an IQ over 10 - Which is a severe rarity these days.
matt b gave it a10:
It seems that all of adams movies got low grades because there immature, but the critics have somthing so far up there ass they dont realize how funny the imaturity is. And anyways who really cares, adam sandler made millions of his movies.
K M gave it a10:
Love it, but the critics are right in saying it is mindless. That's the point though right??
sunshine W gave it a7:
The epitome of a ridiculously funny, absolutely enjoyable movie that is also, by all standards, a bad film, which lends even more to the charm. I'm going to watch it again right now. Its nudy magazine day!
Stabs M gave it a4:
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?
Morgan F gave it an8:
Why is this movie in the bottom 100? I found it hilarious. One of Sandler's best.
No Body gave it a10:
It's a travesty this movie is in the bottom 100.
