Semi-Pro

Directed by: Kent Alterman
Starring: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin, Maura Tierney, Will Arnett, Andy Richter, David Koechner
Running Time: 1h 30min

Definitely not an Anchorman, nor a Ricky Bobby, and not even of Dodgeball quality or laughs, Semi-Pro is still a bit of 70s fun, basketball nostalgia, and profanity. And, of course, plenty of Will Ferrell in weird costumes doing insane things. i hope that one day Ferrell receives a lifetime achievement award, just so we can see the 3 minute film clip retrospective. Imagine the outrageous costumes and hilarious blow ups packed into those three minutes.

Unfortunately, these moments can't sustain an hour and a half, as this movie shows. There isn't as much Will Ferrell in this movie as the previews would like you to believe. He's in it about as much as he's in Old School, with only about a tenth the laughs. Which is still pretty funny, just not pee your pants funny. Still, there are plenty of Ferrell type moments, quick ad libs, over the top emotional reactions, and straight faced shenanigans to please most Ferrell fans.

What there is a lot of, which i didn't expect based on the trailer for the movie, is a lot of sports movie moments. This is truly more of a sports film than a comedy. The storyline pokes fun at the "this final game means the world to us and we have to pull it out against insurmountable odds" yet maintains an emotional core so you care enough about it all to stick with it to the end. Surprisingly, Harrelson is the centerpiece for the movie's emotinal punch, reminding us how adept he is at both comedy and drama (don't forget his performances in both Kingpin AND The People vs. Larry Flint). It's a shame that Harrelson's personal progressively environmental politics seemed to limit his roles in the past, as he is such a talented actor. Strangely, he doesn't garner many laughs in this film, leaving the comedic moments to Ferrell and friends.

There are quite a number of Ferrell's regular co-stars in this film, though most of them aren't as funny as they are in previous outings. It's a strange balance struck, between sports drama and sports parody, and it appears as though a little less improvisation was utilized in comparison to films that Ferrell penned himself. One can't expect a home run every time a Ferrell movie comes out, but it's nice to get our fix of Will until he comes through with one of his classics. Semi-Pro is more like one of the filler films they stick in a box set that contains one hit and a few misses. Good enough to justify the purchase, but not a selling point on its own.

Grade: B-