The Big Picture

• Cole Sprouse's role in Big Daddy added a heartfelt quality to the film that elevated it above other Adam Sandler comedies.
• Sprouse's chemistry with Sandler made their on-screen partnership relatable and endearing.
• Sprouse's knack for comedy shines through in his performance, and he should consider returning to the genre in future projects.

There are only a handful of child stars that have successfully transitioned their careers into adult stardom, as the pressure on young performers can dissuade many from continuing to pursue the industry. While he established his stardom on the family show, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Cole Sprouse has successfully entered a new era within his career thanks to his leading role on Riverdale and film performances in Moonshot and Five Feet Apart, among others.

While it's impressive that Cole Sprouse has been able to evolve his on-screen persona within a relatively short window of time, his talents as a performer have been evident ever since his first role, co-starring with Adam Sandler in the 1999 comedy, Big Daddy, a film that allowed them both to show their comedic and heartfelt sensibilities.

What Is ‘Big Daddy’ About?

Big Daddy follows the slacker, Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler), a toll booth attendant who has a serious case of arrested development. Despite graduating law school, Sonny has avoided taking the bar exam, fearing that the responsibilities of being a lawyer could detract from the carefree lifestyle he has established for himself. Sonny’s best friend, Kevin Gerrity (Jon Stewart), proposes to his girlfriend, Corrine (Leslie Mann), and takes an abrupt trip to China; what he doesn’t realize, though, is that he’s left behind a young boy who claims to be his biological son, Julian 'Frankenstein' McGrath (Cole and Dylan Sprouse), with Sonny. Sprouse had to capture the confusion of a young boy who doesn’t understand who his parents are, and this heartfelt storyline elevates Big Daddy over other Sandler comedies of the 1990s.

The film evokes humor by showing how similar Julian and Sonny really are: while they’re both sweet and sensitive, neither character has ever had to accept actual responsibilities. Julian feels out of place and behind in school, and Sonny can’t relate to his peers who have already accepted adult responsibilities. Sprouse and Sandler serve as perfect on-screen partners, as both characters have to face the difficult task of growing up. While seeing Sandler reflect on the childlike tendencies within Julian is funny, it’s hardly the first man-child that he’s played; it’s more amusing to see Julian give occasionally insightful advice to Sonny that he truly takes to heart.

It’s impressive that Sprouse was able to keep up with Sandler’s rapid-fire sense-of-humor, as this was an era where Sandler was untouchable within the comedy world. While Sandler has a tendency to outshine his co-stars, Sprouse does a great job at reflecting Julian’s complete innocence. Sonny has the capacity to understand that those within his friend group don’t entirely respect him, but Julian doesn’t realize that he’s shaping himself to be an outsider within his own class. The empathy that Sprouse generates for Julian empowers the audience to invest in seeing Sonny grow up and become a paternal figure to the young boy.

Cole Sprouse's Performance Makes ‘Big Daddy’ More Heartfelt

While he had major success a few years prior with The Wedding Singer and Happy Gilmore, Sandler’s films were beginning to generate critical backlash at the time that he starred in Big Daddy. His man-child schtick wasn’t bound to last forever, and Big Daddy could have easily become just another instance of Sandler reiterating the same character. However, Sprouse’s performance adds a heartfelt quality to Big Daddy that wouldn’t have been there otherwise. While the majority of the film revolves around Julian and Sonny getting into strange adventures together, each baffling gag ends up tying them closer together. When Julian’s actual biological father, Lenny Koufax (Joseph Bologna), arrives and threatens to separate them, it adds a legitimate sense of tension to the story.

The inclusion of Sprouse’s role within the story forces Sandler to show his maturation, as Sonny realizes that Julian can’t be sheltered from responsibility his entire life. While it’s hardly one of Sandler’s more dramatic roles, there’s a sadness in Sonny when he realizes that he doesn’t want Julian to go down the same path that he did. The film finds a fun way for Sonny to impress these responsibilities on Julian without ever feeling like an overbearing parent, creating an interesting dynamic between the two. The strong chemistry between Sprouse and Sandler makes the conclusion — which sees Sonny and Julian retaining their friendship — even more heartfelt.

Sandler’s films haven’t exactly had the best track record with youth performances, as critical disasters like Grown Ups and Blended feature stereotypical child characters that did little more than drag the plot along. However, Sprouse’s performance is equally important as Sandler’s, as he's both essential to the plot and the necessary foil that Sandler needs. Big Daddy is the rare comedy vehicle that appeals to both adults and children, and that's because viewers can empathize with both generations of characters.

Cole Sprouse Has Always Had a Knack for Comedy

Although his more serious roles in Riverdale and Five Feet Apart suggest an interest in dramatic material, Sprouse is best equipped for comedy roles. While much of Big Daddy’s humor comes directly from Sandler’s screenplay (co-written with Steve Franks and Tim Herlihy), Sprouse added a ton of facial expressions, physical gags, and personality that made the film even funnier. Given how long Sprouse has been working in the industry, it would be interesting to see him return to work on a heartfelt, slapstick comedy like Big Daddy again.

Now that Riverdale has ended, Sprouse has the freedom to take on a variety of different roles. While working on a long-running drama series with an enthusiastic fan base has its benefits, it can also isolate an actor’s strengths and prevent them from challenging themselves. Considering that Big Daddy was a comedy of such inventiveness that it earned the praise of Paul Thomas Anderson, Sprouse is well-suited to test his abilities and work on more ambitious projects moving forward, like the upcoming horror-comedy, Lisa Frankenstein.

Big Daddy is available to watch on Starz in the U.S.

Watch on Starz