2008 Woodie Awards
He shoots, he scores
Will Ferrell's character, Jackie Moon a shooting star
Alan Sharp, Contributor
Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: Entertainment
Will Ferrell's new basketball comedy "Semi-Pro" is pretty darn funny, especially if you're a Will Ferrell fan. I'm hit and miss on the guy, myself.
Some of his movies I absolutely love: "Elf" and "Blades of Glory" were extremely funny and "Anchorman" is one of my favorite comedies ever. Then there are the Ferrell movies that grate on me like the sound of my ex-wife's voice: "Bewitched," "Talladega Nights" and "Old School" fall into this category.
Sorry to all of you "Ricky Bobby" and "Frank the Tank" fans.
The script, by Scot Armstrong ("Old School" - yep, that one, and "Starsky & Hutch") tells the tale of Jackie Moon in 1976.
Jackie is a one-hit-wonder pop singer from Flint, Michigan that decides to splurge most of his royalties on buying the city's ABA basketball franchise, the Flint Tropics. The team name alone is funny, not to even mention their uniforms.
Jackie makes himself the Tropics' head coach, starting power forward and head promoter. Jackie also takes every opportunity to bust out his hit song "Love Me Sexy," whether it's appropriate or not.
The lyrics are shamelessly lewd and outrageously funny. I caught myself singing the damn song on the way to my car after the screening.
Just as it looks like Jackie is going broke and may have to fold the team, the ABA announces its merger with the NBA and informs the team owners that four teams, but only four, will be absorbed into the big leagues of the NBA.
After a hilarious tantrum at the owner's meetings, it is decided that the teams to go will be the top four teams in the ABA standings at the end of the season that can also average 2,000 fans in attendance per game.
Jackie goes to desperate measures to save the team. He trades a washing machine to acquire veteran point guard and league goon Ed Monix, played by Woody Harrelson.
It was good to see Harrelson in a role larger than a cameo and also to see him lace up the high tops like he did in 1992's hilarious "White Men Can't Jump." Jackie also resorts to outrageous halftime stunt promotions in order to get the Tropics' attendance up to the needed 2,000 per game.
The story leaves lots of room for Will Ferrell to run amok and chew scenery.
Ferrell has an obvious gift for improvisation and first-time director Kent Alterman lets him go at it frequently.
Which at times provides some of the movie's funniest moments.
This is especially apparent in the hilarious poker game scene with Ferrell, the incredibly funny Will Arnett ("Arrested Development"), former Conan O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter, Andrew Daly ("Reno 911") and Ferrell's former "Saturday Night Live" cast-mate Tim Meadows ("The Ladies Man").
There are also some really funny improv in the scene where the ABA team owners meet between Ferrell and his frequent co-star David Koechner ("Anchorman," "Snakes On a Plane"), as the Commissioner of the league.
"Semi-Pro" tries nothing more than to be a goofy sports movie with Will Ferrell doing what people love.
At that, it succeeds and deserves the Mega Bowl (see the movie for that reference!!!).
Some of his movies I absolutely love: "Elf" and "Blades of Glory" were extremely funny and "Anchorman" is one of my favorite comedies ever. Then there are the Ferrell movies that grate on me like the sound of my ex-wife's voice: "Bewitched," "Talladega Nights" and "Old School" fall into this category.
Sorry to all of you "Ricky Bobby" and "Frank the Tank" fans.
The script, by Scot Armstrong ("Old School" - yep, that one, and "Starsky & Hutch") tells the tale of Jackie Moon in 1976.
Jackie is a one-hit-wonder pop singer from Flint, Michigan that decides to splurge most of his royalties on buying the city's ABA basketball franchise, the Flint Tropics. The team name alone is funny, not to even mention their uniforms.
Jackie makes himself the Tropics' head coach, starting power forward and head promoter. Jackie also takes every opportunity to bust out his hit song "Love Me Sexy," whether it's appropriate or not.
The lyrics are shamelessly lewd and outrageously funny. I caught myself singing the damn song on the way to my car after the screening.
Just as it looks like Jackie is going broke and may have to fold the team, the ABA announces its merger with the NBA and informs the team owners that four teams, but only four, will be absorbed into the big leagues of the NBA.
After a hilarious tantrum at the owner's meetings, it is decided that the teams to go will be the top four teams in the ABA standings at the end of the season that can also average 2,000 fans in attendance per game.
Jackie goes to desperate measures to save the team. He trades a washing machine to acquire veteran point guard and league goon Ed Monix, played by Woody Harrelson.
It was good to see Harrelson in a role larger than a cameo and also to see him lace up the high tops like he did in 1992's hilarious "White Men Can't Jump." Jackie also resorts to outrageous halftime stunt promotions in order to get the Tropics' attendance up to the needed 2,000 per game.
The story leaves lots of room for Will Ferrell to run amok and chew scenery.
Ferrell has an obvious gift for improvisation and first-time director Kent Alterman lets him go at it frequently.
Which at times provides some of the movie's funniest moments.
This is especially apparent in the hilarious poker game scene with Ferrell, the incredibly funny Will Arnett ("Arrested Development"), former Conan O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter, Andrew Daly ("Reno 911") and Ferrell's former "Saturday Night Live" cast-mate Tim Meadows ("The Ladies Man").
There are also some really funny improv in the scene where the ABA team owners meet between Ferrell and his frequent co-star David Koechner ("Anchorman," "Snakes On a Plane"), as the Commissioner of the league.
"Semi-Pro" tries nothing more than to be a goofy sports movie with Will Ferrell doing what people love.
At that, it succeeds and deserves the Mega Bowl (see the movie for that reference!!!).
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