History Film / BigDaddy

-> ''"''Big Daddy'' is a film about a seriously disturbed slacker who adopts a 5-year-old and tutors him in cynicism, cruel practical jokes and antisocial behavior."''
-->-- '''Creator/RogerEbert'''

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* MotiveDecay: Sonny decides to adopt Julian to fix his relationship with Vanessa, plus Kevin was doubtful that Julian is even his son. However, Vanessa left him with another (older) man. After an argument with his dad, Sonny decides to raise Julian to prove to everyone he'll be a great dad. Also, not wanting Julian to be put in an orphanage, Sonny tells child services he'll look after him until they find him a proper home, but soon decided to keep him after all and ignore their calls which soon gets him in real trouble when they learn he's been impersonating Kevin.

His life changes forever one day when a young orphan named Julian (Cole and Dylan Sprouse) is literally left at his door. Sonny at first wants nothing to do with the kid, but then realizes that he just might be able to use him to impress his cantankerous father, Lenny -- not to mention win back the affection of his disillusioned girlfriend, Vanessa.

This movie also features Creator/JoeyLaurenAdams as Layla, a lawyer who helps Sonny; Creator/LeslieMann as Corinne, Layla's sardonic sister; and Rob Schneider as Nazo, a delivery boy who often brings Sonny food. Creator/SteveBuscemi turns up in a cameo as a homeless person.

** Sonny, after realizing that Arthur Brooks has just called him by his real name instead of the false name he had been using.

* MathmeticiansAnswer: Sonny asks Julian what he likes to eat and he replies, "Food". Sonny responds that he likes to eat food, too.

** One of Sonny's friends is disgusted by Tommy and Phil kissing each other, especially in public.

--->'''Tommy:''' In your experience, was Sonny a good father to Julian?
--->'''Nazo:''' Oh, yes. They make terrific pair. They went together like [[ForeignQueasine lamb and tuna fish]].
--->''[confused murmurs]''
--->'''Tommy:''' "Lamb and tuna fish?"
--->'''Nazo:''' Maybe you like spaghetti and meatball? You more comfortable with that analogy?

This 1999 box-office smash starred Creator/AdamSandler, Creator/JonStewart, and twin child actors Dylan & Creator/ColeSprouse.

'''Vanessa:''' Sonny, you surprised me with a kid while I was away, isn't exactly what I had in mind!\\

** After Julian revealed in court that he was born in Toronto, Kevin is seen thinking about something. [[spoiler: Later he confessed that he indeed slept with a woman in Toronto, and unknowingly give birth to Julian.]]

* SurprisinglyRealisticExample:

* RealityEnsues:
** Sonny learned pretty quickly that being a father is more than just being a cool dad, letting Julian do whatever he wants. When he dropped Julian off at school and was told he was being a serious troublemaker and urinating wherever he pleased, Sonny couldn't believe he let his son be "The smelliest kid in school". He took Julian's teacher's words to heart and stepped up to be a better father from then on.
** Zigzagged. [[spoiler: Sonny calls himself to the witness stand at the trial and has his father cross-examine him in the hope that he can win the court over with an emotional appeal. Miraculously, he persuades Lenny that he has learned his lesson and is now prepared to be a responsible adult. Lenny vouches for his son and everyone in the courtroom applauds -- but the judge will not let herself forget that Sonny broke the law and, no matter how contrite he may be now, still deserves to go to jail. Then Kevin Gerrity, as Julian's biological father, refuses to press charges against his roommate, so Sonny walks out of court a free man. However, since he has proven himself to be erratic and untrustworthy, Sonny is refused custody of Julian, who is instead reunited with Kevin. In the end Sonny does get a consolation prize in form of being appointed a mentor and HonoraryUncle to Julian, and he and Layla have had a baby of their own by the time the epilogue rolls around.]]

-> ''"Big Daddy" is a film about a seriously disturbed slacker who adopts a 5-year-old and tutors him in cynicism, cruel practical jokes and antisocial behavior."''

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] that character in ''Theatre/CatOnAHotTinRoof''. Or the comedy band who does contemporary songs in the style of the '50s. Or with rapper ''Big Daddy Kane''. Or with [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} World Wrestling Entertainment's]] Big Daddy V -- or, for that matter, with their [[Wrestling/KevinNash "Big Daddy Cool."]] Or with the [[Wrestling/BigDaddy 1970s British wrestler]]. Or with those tough drill-arm enemies from ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}''. Or with that huge, 1,000-calorie burger offered by Southern California restaurant chain Cronies. Or the ''ComicBook/{{Chick Tract|s}}'' on evolution. Or with Hit Girl's father in ''ComicBook/KickAss''.

* WhamLine:
-->[[spoiler:'''Kevin''']]: Objection, your honor! As the father of the boy, I like to drop all charges.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] that character in ''Theatre/CatOnAHotTinRoof''. Or the comedy band who does contemporary songs in the style of the '50s. Or with rapper ''Big Daddy Kane''. Or with [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} World Wrestling Entertainment's]] Big Daddy V -- or, for that matter, with their [[Wrestling/KevinNash "Big Daddy Cool."]] Or with those tough drill-arm enemies from ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}''. Or with that huge, 1,000-calorie burger offered by Southern California restaurant chain Cronies. Or the ''ComicBook/{{Chick Tract|s}}'' on evolution. Or with Hit Girl's father in ''ComicBook/KickAss''.

This movie also features Joey Lauren Adams as Layla, a lawyer who helps Sonny; Creator/LeslieMann as Corinne, Layla's sardonic sister; and Rob Schneider as Nazo, a delivery boy who often brings Sonny food. Creator/SteveBuscemi turns up in a cameo as a homeless person.

* BigShutUp: Sonny's dad says this to Tommy when he objects to his statement that Sonny is an unfit father.

** While trick-or-treating during the montage, Sonny made a guy give Julian some [=CDs=], cereal and his watch because he flipped them off, and Sonny warns him to "be prepared" next time. Though in the man's defense, he was busy on the phone and didn't have any candies to begin with, but Sonny wouldn't stop bothering him and wanted him to give Julian something so he would have a good time.

** After Julian revealed that he was born in Toronto, Kevin is seen thinking about something. [[spoiler: Later he confessed that he indeed slept with a woman in Toronto, and unknowingly give birth to Julian.]]

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: It's so blatant in this "family" picture that it's more like the jokes [[LookBehindYou pointed and shouted "Hey, look over there!"]] and then ran by while the radar's head was turned.

** Sonny learned pretty quickly that being a father is more than just being a cool dad, letting Julian do whatever he wants. When he dropped him off at school and was told he was being a serious troublemaker and urinating wherever he pleased, Sonny couldn't believe he let his son be "The smelliest kid in school". He took Julian's teacher's words to heart and stepped up to be a better father from then on.

* MotiveDecay: Sonny decides to adopt Julian to fix his relationship with Vanessa, plus Kevin was doubtful that Julian is even his son. However, Vanessa left him with another (older) man. After an argument with his dad, Sonny decides to raise Julian to prove to everyone he'll be a great dad. Also, not wanting Julian to be put in an orphanage, Sonny tells child service he'll look after him until they find him a proper home, but soon decided to keep him after all and ignore their calls which soon gets him in real trouble when they learn he's been impersonating Kevin.

** Sonny learned pretty quickly that being a father is more than just being a cool dad, letting Julian do whatever he wants. When he dropped him off at school and was told him he was being a serious trouble maker and urinating wherever he pleased, Sonny couldn't believe he let his son be "The smelliest kid in school". He took Julian's teacher's words to heart and stepped up to be a better father from then on.

* IWillShowYouX: Sonny calls his dad for help because he's stuck with Julian, because his mother passed away but doesn't want him to be put in a "group home"[[note]]another word for "orphanage"[[/note]]; in addition Julian's becoming bothersome, and the only reason Sonny adopted him was to fix his relationship with Vanessa who just broke up with him. His dad tells him to just return Julian to child service before he "ruin both [their] lives". Fed up with his dad's constant criticism, Sonny decides to keep Julian to prove that he can be a good father to Julian better than Sonny's dad was to him.

* DidntThinkThisThrough:

** While trick-or-treating during the montage, Sonny made a guy give Julian some [=CDs=], cereal and his watch because he flipped them off, and Sonny warns him to "be prepared" next time. Though in his defense, he was busy on the phone and didn't have any candies to begin with, but Sonny wouldn't stop bothering him and wanted him to give something to Julian so he would have a good time.

** After Julian revealed that he was born in Toronto, you can see Kevin thinking.

* IWillShowYouX: Sonny calls his dad for help because he's stuck with Julian, because his mother passed away but doesn't want him to be put in a "group home"[[note]]another word for "orphanage"[[/note]]; in addition Julian's becoming bothersome, and the only reason he adopted him was to fix his relationship with Vanessa who just broke up with him. His dad just tells him to return Julian to child service before he "ruin both [their] lives". Tired of his dad's constant criticism, Sonny decides to keep Julian to prove that he can be a good father to Julian better than Sonny's dad was to him.

** [[spoiler:Kevin's time in Toronto. He got wasted and slept with a girl named Jane who gave birth to Julian. He's forgotten all about it, but Jane didn't.]]

-->[[spoiler:'''Kevin''']]: Objection your honor! As the father of the boy, I like to drop all charges.
* YeahShot: It's more like a Yum Shot....