The story gives me mixed feelings. It wants us to laugh at — and feel for – all the characters. I welcome any humorous movie that attempts this. Semi-Pro tries by letting Moon handle more of the gags while Monix and the Tropic’s most talented player, 'Coffee' Black (Andre Benjamin), carry the drama. Yet the two emotions never gel together as one movie. I don’t want to shortchange Harrelson and Benjamin’s performances. They’ve both got basketball running through their blood.
Semi-Pro pokes good fun at the 1970’s. You can feel the tackiness with the wide ties and brightly colored suits the sportscasters wear. Call a technical foul on the players for wearing those ridiculous knee-high athletic socks. Get a load of Woody Harrelson’s do in this film. It proves his No Country for Old Men co-star Javier Bardem is starting a fashion trend.
The first reviews were too harsh on Ferrell’s basketball parody. Semi-Pro’s funny enough to watch, but not quite funny enough to buy. I can see friends renting it and having a good time. But the sports parodies are getting tiresome. The best thing for him to do is sit on the bench awhile and catch his breath.
Grade: B-
On a side note: Judd Apatow fans, watch the sidelines during the games for Charlene Yi who played Jody in Knocked Up. Here she plays a wheelchair-bound character also named Jody who ends up fleeing from Dewey the Killer Bear.
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