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Caddyshack

Caddyshack

Some people just don't belong.

198098 minRMidcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Director
Harold Ramis
Starring
Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Bill Murray

At an exclusive country club, an ambitious young caddy, Danny Noonan, eagerly pursues a caddy scholarship in hopes of attending college and, in turn, avoiding a job at the lumber yard. In order to succeed, he must first win the favour of the elitist Judge Smails, and then the caddy golf tournament which Smails sponsors.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Caddyshack?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Caddyshack streaming on Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Caddyshack?

Caddyshack earns 12 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Standout acting.

Show 4 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Caddyshack worth watching?

Caddyshack's Midcredits score is the 81st percentile of all films, from 263K ratings across 6 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

81st percentile

Better received than 81% of films

88th percentile among Comedy82nd percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)75th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

69 /100

75th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Comedy78th percentile among 1980s

Critics 48 · Audience 70

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Comedy85th percentile among 1980s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 73% · Audience 87%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

95th percentile

262K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Comedy95th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$6M
Opening weekend$3.1M
Domestic gross$40M
Worldwide gross$40M

Returned 6.7× its budget — 89th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a loose, anarchic comedy relying on star improvisation over story structure.

Fans praised

  • Brilliant comedic cast firing on all cylinders
  • Classic quotable one-liners and improvised moments
  • Bill Murray's anarchic gopher war and Rodney Dangerfield's scene-stealing shtick

Detractors panned

  • Plotless, incoherent sketch show with no narrative drive
  • Juvenile bathroom humor that hasn't aged well
  • Sloppy direction and ragged assembly that can't hold it together

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Cast of comedy legends at peak improvisational form

DialogueDivisive85

Endlessly quotable one-liners and ad-libbed banter

CharactersDivisive80

Iconic archetypes like Ty Webb, Carl Spackler, and Judge Smails

HumorDivisive75

Farts, insults, and gopher antics; divisive but iconic

OriginalityDivisive70

Anarchic sports comedy template; derivative of Animal House

Effects and spectacleDivisive40

Cheap gopher puppet adds charming absurdity

Pacing30

Loosely structured, episodic, often lurching

Plot and story20

Incoherent, meandering string of sketches

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 25 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 19 points higher than under-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 28 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Caddyshack like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It swings between moods and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdJoyfulThrilling
Heaviest: middle
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Irreverent · 1% of filmsPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material with affectionate mockery, never taking itself seriously, with a playful and irreverent tone that satirizes the country club world.
The rideThe film swings between slapstick chaos, relaxed hangout scenes, and manic set-pieces, with the climax around the gopher war hitting the peak of absurdist energy.
StructureThe story follows a conventional three-act structure: introduction of characters and conflicts at the country club, escalation through the golf tournament and party, and climax with the golf match and explosive finale.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a sense of mischievous fun and satisfaction from the anarchic victory of the slobs over the snobs.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).ComedyFarce
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

11% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA loose comedy of escalating chaos centered on the clash between a nouveau riche outsider and the country club establishment, driven by farcical set pieces and a recurring gopher gag.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfClassPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% (this title) · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Class · 3% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film contrasts the snobbish old-money golf club with the loud, nouveau-riche Al Czervik, and finds its heart in the camaraderie among the working-class caddies.
StanceThe film satirizes class snobbery and country-club pretension, celebrating the irreverent chaos that deflates them.

The world

ContemporaryRuralInstitutionalStylized realism
JazzFolkSupportive music · original score · Johnny Mandel
Settingan exclusive golf and country club in suburban Florida
MusicThe easy-going jazz score contrasts with the film's manic comedy, and the Kenny Loggins theme song 'I'm Alright' has become iconic.

Content guide

Is Caddyshack okay for kids?

R

Caddyshack is rated R. As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (18/100), sexual content at moderate (59/100), language at moderate (47/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (55/100) and frightening material at minimal (13/100). Overall it is heavier than 11% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • SK12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 38% of all filmsHeavier than 11% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 6%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 73%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 20%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 70%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 5%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 73% of R-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Caddyshack have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Caddyshack?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Chevy Chase
as Ty Webb
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Rodney Dangerfield
as Al Czervik
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ted Knight
as Judge Elihu Smails
Bill Murray
as Carl Spackler
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Michael O'Keefe
as Danny Noonan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Sarah Holcomb
as Maggie O'Hooligan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Cindy Morgan
as Lacey Underall
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Albert Salmi
as Mr. Noonan
Scott Colomby
as Tony D'Annunzio
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dan Resin
as Dr. Beeper
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Caddyshack?

Movies like Caddyshack include Caddyshack II (1988), Ski School (1991) and National Lampoon's Vacation (1983). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films written or directed by Harold Ramis, and several are films that feel irreverent.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 12 share its subject: class. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Caddyshack?

2.4K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: rivals. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.