Semi-Pro (2008)

Perfectly adorable

Fantastic!

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Semi-Pro (2008): Dir: Kent Alterman / Cast: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin, Maura Tierney, Will Arnett: Hilarious sports comedy starring Will Ferrell as promoter Jackie Moon who's basketball team sucks. Washed up player Ed Monix shows up to help them. As with Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Semi-Pro counters formula by creating interesting characters. The results are very funny with director Kent Alterman doing a terrific job with the pop culture references. This is Alterman's first film as director and he is backed by fine comic performances. Ferrell plays a show boat who desperately wishes to regain the spotlight he once had. He will stoop to wrestling a bear to gain an audience. Woody Harrelson is well cast as Monix who isn't satisfied with his past but will assist Ferrell and his team as if to correct his problem by solving another. Andre Benjamin portrays the one player worth his salt but he is sought after by another major team. Maura Tierney plays Monix's ex-girlfriend whose husband enjoys being a cuckold. Will Arnett steals scenes as an alcoholic colour commentator. The one big flaw is that the outcome is predictable. We know that Ferrell will score, Harrelson will mend, Benjamin will return, Arnett will drink while calling the event, and Tierney will be the cheating married woman. Rewarding comedy that scores big on it's 70's sports references. Score: 9 / 10

First of all, and one may not know that, but the premise of the movie, the merger of the ABA and the NBA, is actually is a real fact. If you are a basketball fan, you will be pleasantly surprised by that side of the story.The 70's universe is very refined: looks, clothes, etc., and a special attention has been given to the soundtrack. Esthetically, Alterman met the challenge.The script is very classic with no real surprise. Everything unfolds smoothly but in a false rhythm that struggles to fully catch the attention of the viewer.The humour is very uneven and most of the gags fall flat. The absurd aspect characterizing Ferrell isn't that noticeable, maybe because he wasn't part of the writing team.

Will Ferrell has a knock for starring in sports comedies. This is the fourth one he has made. It is a comedic turn on a semi-professional basketball league that folds and where four teams from the semi-pro league get to join the NBA. It doesn't compare to Will Ferrell's other sports comedies such as Blades of Glory or Talladega Nights. Ferrell does a fine job, but he has done much better than this. I think if the story was a little more focused on the team and a little less focused on Ferrell or the league merger, this movie would have been better. Woody Harrelson also appears in this movie and does a fine job, but he has also done much better acting than this. It is worth renting at least once if you are a fan of Will Ferrell.

For a few minutes into it, I thought it was going to be at least better than "Blades of Glory" but I was wrong. This was just stupid without the humor in it, it seems to try overly hard in order to be funny...But it just isn't. Will Ferrell just acts like a obnoxious idiot that is cocky, in another words it's the same acting he played in many other roles in his past. His past movies were okay, but it seems like they aren't trying any more and just put Will Ferrell in a sports movie thinking he is going to carry the film, but it just doesn't work. And like many of his other roles he does random stuff to be funny, except this time they over do it a lot. First half was okay and than it's just plain boring. Rental at best.4.3/10