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Apparently, no sport is sacred to Will Ferrell. He’s already taken on .com/articles/06/NW0600327.php>NASCAR and figure skating. He’s even taken on kids’ soccer. His latest victim? Minor-league basketball.
In Semi-Pro, Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon, a popular ‘70s singer whose hit single, “Love Me Sexy,” allowed him to follow his real dream: to become a basketball star. His royalties bought him the Flint (Michigan) Tropics—a struggling American Basketball Association team that has about as many fans as it does players.
When the ABA announces that they’ll be merging with the NBA at the end of the season—with only four ABA teams moving over to the NBA—owner/coach/player Jackie sees it as the Tropics’ chance to make it big. To help the team in their drive for fourth place, he even hires Ed Monix (Woody Harrelson), an aging pro who has a reason or two of his own for coming to Flint.
Semi-Pro is exactly what you’d expect from a Will Ferrell comedy. It has its ridiculously funny moments, and it has its over-the-top moments. It has its hits and its misses—as well as its times when it just goes a little too far. It’s a no-holds-barred comedy—but, fortunately, for the most part, it works.
The story itself is completely predictable. In fact, it seems suspiciously similar to ‘70s hockey classic Slap Shot. But, then again, it seems suspiciously similar to just about every sports movie you’ve seen. It fits right into the usual formula—and you’ll pretty much know how it’s going to end before it even begins. But let’s face it—no one actually goes to a Will Ferrell movie for the unique story (which is why no one saw Stranger Than Fiction). People go to a Will Ferrell movie for the crazy comedy.
It’s fortunate, then, that Semi-Pro manages to crank up the craziness without overstaying its welcome. Though I worried that Ferrell’s usual schtick might get a bit annoying after a while, I was surprised to find that he can still get a laugh or two out of me with his wild, over-the-top antics. Sure, the movie has its share of jokes that miss the mark, but one of the benefits of bombarding viewers with non-stop gags is that if one doesn’t work, there’s always another one waiting in the wings.
Fans of Will Ferrell won’t be disappointed by Semi-Pro. While it’s not his best, it’s consistently crazy, thanks to Ferrell and his band of regulars—as well as a few others, like André Benjamin, who’s perfectly suited for his role as Clarence/Downtown/Coffee Black, the team’s lovably egotistical star player. It may not be a comedy classic, but Semi-Pro’s brainless, over-the-top laughs will at least provide some temporary relief from the winter blahs.
