Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler) is a carefree, unmotivated 32-year-old bachelor who lives in New York City and has declined to take on adult responsibility. He has earned a degree in law but has chosen not to even try to attempt to take the bar exam, since he was awarded $200,000 in a vehicle accident years prior and lives off his restitution. He is employed, on a part-time basis only, as a toll booth attendant and he more or less just does this job just to get out of the apartment once in a while. The film shows Sonny's friends, all former schoolmates, are "moving ahead" in their lives. His roommate, Kevin Gerrity (Jon Stewart), decides to ask Corinne (Leslie Mann) to marry him, which is another thing that irritates Sonny. Kevin decides to pop the question the day before he is leaving for China for his law firm. Corinne vehemently dislikes Sonny because he constantly teases her about her former job at Hooters when she was in medical school. Two of his male friends from school, in contrast to their conduct in Sonny's experience while at school, are now revealed to be homosexual and in a committed domestic partnership. Sonny's girlfriend, Vanessa (Kristy Swanson), disgusted and perplexed at Sonny's contrasting and inconsistent conduct decides to end her romantic relationship with him-and also find a new much older man with more reliability. Sonny quickly becomes occupied with a new series of events in his life. Sonny wakes up to Kevin already at the airport leaving for China. Kevin is revealed to having fathered an illegitimate son, whose name is Julian (Dylan and Cole Sprouse). Julian is abandoned at Sonny and Kevin's apartment, with a written explanation that Julian's mother is now declining to care further for Julian. It is revealed at the Social Services office that Julian's mother died of cancer. Kevin, at the airport ready to go to China, gets a call from Sonny informing him of the letter and the boy. Despite his selfishness and lack of parenting skills, Sonny assures him that he will take care of Julian until Kevin returns from China. Sonny decides to handle the situation himself, and, in the process, decides Julian will solve his problem with his ex-girlfriend. To win Vanessa back, Sonny introduces her to Julian. However, he discovers that she is now dating Sid, whom - despite being much older than her - she reveres as more motivated and intelligent with a "five-year plan". Becoming frustrated with parenting, Sonny poses as Kevin and takes Julian to his social worker Arthur Brooks (Josh Mostel) telling him that Julian should return to his mother. However, Brooks informs Sonny that Julian's mother died of cancer and offers to place Julian into a foster home. After this, Sonny rants about it in a phone call to his father, Lenny, who is shocked and infuriated with Sonny for trying to raise a child, due to his irresponsibility. Sonny, in caring for Julian, soon discovers a new purpose in his life and a deep connection with Julian as a father figure. Julian helps Sonny find a new girlfriend in Corinne's lawyer sister Layla. Brooks finds a foster home for Julian and leaves messages for Sonny, but is suspicious when he does not respond. After a meeting at Julian's school Sonny rethinks his parenting methods after Julian's teacher complains about the habits he has developed due to Sonny's influence. He turns Julian's behavior around. Social Services discovers that Sonny is posing as Kevin and insists that he give up Julian. Social services take Julian and decides to press charges against Sonny. Sonny complies, but contacts Layla to help take legal action. The case is brought to court, where Sonny has his friends as counsel, including Layla (Joey Lauren Adams), Corinne's sister and Sonny's new girlfriend, and late arrival Kevin. Sonny gets positive testimony from his friends-even Corinne, who swore to disliking him from the day they met. Sonny then calls himself to the stand and asks his father to question him. Despite Lenny's fervent belief that he is not father material, Sonny convinces him that he will not fail at being a father. Impressed by Sonny's sincerity, Lenny vouches for him. The judge is ready to sentence him to jail for kidnapping Julian and defrauding the state. At this point, Kevin steps forward as Julian's father and insists that no charges be filed, having remembered a drunken fling with a Hooters girl in Toronto during the 1993 World Series, and connecting that with Julian's earlier testimony of originally coming from Toronto and being born in July. Judge Healy (Carmen De Lavallade) grants Kevin custody pending a DNA test. Sonny promises Julian that although he cannot be his father, he will always be there for him. He then passes Julian to Kevin and the two start to bond. Sonny still maintains contact with Julian through Kevin, often meeting up with him for activities such as basketball. One year, three months, and six days later, Sonny, now a lawyer and married to Layla with a child of their own, is surprised with a birthday party at Hooters attended by all his colleagues and friends, including Julian, but is more surprised to find his ex-girlfriend working as a Hooters girl, and her boyfriend with his so-called five-year plan working the grill.
Read more →
