Semi-Pro Review
by Adam Frazier
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If there’s one
thing that can be said for my generation, it is that we simply love
anything Will Ferrell lays his comedic hands on.
Growing up we were introduced to his antics on Saturday Night Live where he created several memorable characters that spun off into feature films like Night at the Roxbury and Superstar.
Ferrell’s breakout really came in 2003 when he, along with an all-star cast, made Old School. Soon after leaving SNL, Ferrell’s legacy was built with Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, which is arguably his best work.
Will Ferrell has taken the success of his Ron Burgundy character and modified it in his proceeding films, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and the sports comedy, Blades of Glory.
Now Ferrell takes that template back to the ‘70s to put on an afro and some basketball shorts as Jackie Moon in Semi-Pro, a film that fails to shine and lacks the persistent hilarity of Ferrell’s other films.
Semi-Pro
is the story of Jackie Moon (Ferrell), owner, coach, promoter and
player of the Flint Michigan Tropics, which is a part of the American
Basketball Association (ABA). Now this is based on some actual truth,
spoofing the 1976 merger between the ABA and the NBA. Here the
commissioners of both leagues have decided that the top 4 teams will
merge with the NBA, which sends Jackie Moon into action.
The
problem is, Jackie Moon isn’t much of an X’s and O’s guy, and he lacks
the true motivational skill to bring his team to the top. So, after
trading a washing machine in the locker room, the Flint Tropics recruit
Monix (Woody Harrelson), an ex-NBA player with a championship ring and
bad knees.
Now Jackie Moon must show his talent as a promoter to
bring fans to the Flint Fairgrounds Coliseum in order to show the NBA
that they have a fan base worthy of merging.
That’s the basic
idea – though the story really means nothing in the overall scheme of
things. Basically, Ferrell is up to his same old tricks here, pulling
his ego-tripping, delusional man-child shtick and I must say, it’s
showing its age here. Obviously people love Will Ferrell because he in
himself is a character and naturally funny, but Semi-Pro lacks the inspiration and strong characters that made Anchorman an instant classic.
The
supporting cast is weak and awkward at best. Harrelson’s role is
likeable enough, but also reminiscent of his own sports comedy, the
bowling epic Kingpin. The
rest of the basketball team struggles to get laughs, and generally
their comedic skill is right up their with their floundering basketball
abilities.
Supporting actors Will Arnett (Arrested Development) and Andrew Daly (Mad TV)
are perhaps the only other characters in the film that truly make us
laugh. As the Flint Tropics radio broadcasting team, these two provide
plenty of banter between each other (when not smoking and drinking on
the job) to keep us laughing.
Semi-Pro
relies heavily on silly sight gags and lacks a focused story. It
unfortunately falls in-between the gap of being a strong comedic story
and an outlandish collection of situational sketch humor, which is
where films like Anchorman and Talladega Nights break through.
One of the films biggest faults is its direction. This is Kent Alterman’s
directorial debut. While primarily an executive producer, I guess
someone trusted him to make this basketball comedy. If Adam McKay
(writer of Anchorman and Talladega Nights) could have worked with
friend and co-writer Ferrell on this film, I think it really could have
shined – instead of being a derivative watered-down disappointment.
Finally, I will say this – Semi-Pro
could have been a great Will Ferrell movie. One of its biggest faults
is the writing, by screenwriter Scot Armstrong, who has written Starsky and Hutch, School for Scoundrels and The Heartbreak Kid among other comedies. As the writer of Old School, you might think Armstrong was primed to write a Ferrell vehicle, but it appears he's lost the touch.
Overall, Semi-Pro
has bits of hilarity tucked within it’s muddled 90-minute running time.
If you’re a Will Ferrell fanatic, you’ll find plenty to laugh at during
this movie.
If not, maybe just save your money for his upcoming summer release, Step-Brothers. 2.5 out
of 5 Semi-Pro
Australian release: 3rd April, 2008
Cast: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin, Maura Tierney
Director: Kent Alterman
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