Semi-Pro – 2008
**½ Out of ****The Will Farrell comedy machine has its many successes, with Anchorman that grows better with subsequent viewings, the hilarious Old School and last years Blades of Glory. Farrell’s stint on Saturday Night Live produced the best ever episodes of the show and proved his worth as a comedic voice. Many of these successes have taken the form of a sports spoof, with the aforementioned Blades of Glory taking on figure skating, Kicking and Screaming dishing out the hits of soccer, Talladega Nights taking a swing at NASCAR and now we have the newest addition of the basketball spoof Semi-Pro and it is the most disappointing of the collective sport spoof efforts. (Look for the upcoming Home Run Harold, and Face-off: The wooden duel)
By no means have all of Farrell’s comedies been uncompromising successes. He starred early on in the disastrous Night at the Roxbury, the bland Elf, the joke of a movie Bewitched and so forth. His efforts seem to be hit and miss, and it is possible his style of humour is beginning to ware out its welcome. Thusly, it was a breath of fresh air, so to speak, to see him in Stranger Then Fiction, which is one of the best movies of 2006, and I would enjoy seeing him again in more sophisticated comedic roles. Semi-Pro revolves around the deteriorating
Farrell plays Jackie Moon, who is the “star forward”, owner, promoter and coach of the team; and to put it bluntly, he is terrible at all four. His team is composed of Andre Benjamin as the only player with talent, Clarence Black, who is also one of the few actors to give a semi-impressive performance. The new star forward is washed up, Monix (Woody Harrelson) who was traded for a washing machine. His biggest ambition is to win back his ex, played by Maura Tierney, not to see the team succeed. But will the tropics rally together, and learn to work as a team? Well, you’ll have to see for yourselves; except that I am recommending you don’t see this film, so look at the bottom for the answer.) Will Arnett who initially looked like he was careening off course after leaving Arrested Development has this year done good work; here, as one of the announcers, as well as showing his flare as Vlad the Vulture in Horton Hears a Who!
Although essentially existing as a clone of all the previous Farrell efforts, Semi-Pro does not have the charm or substance to carry it along. The film actually has more subtle humour then the usual Farrell shtick quotient that fills out films like Anchorman and as such it feels hollow; as if nobody truly wants to be associated with the film, like they are embarrassed instead of having fun. The moments of emotion are lacking thereof, and when it attempts sincerity, relating to the classic sports success story, it feels even more forced. Farrell also seems to have some sort of weird fascination with animal gags, and to be more specific with bears, as this is the second feature to boast a teddy attack. But as I said, everything feels forced and laboured, and while producing smiles, never evoked any heartfelt guffaws.
Time would be better spent renting “the Best of Will Ferrell”, or a number of his earlier efforts, if you are really in the mood for a Farrell fix. Semi-Pro fails as a sports drama, a satire, a love story and at all the rest that is thrown in. Only surrounded by some descent supporting performances and boasting Farrell’s charisma, and quirky energy, does Semi-Pro keep itself from being Semi-Horrible; instead it is just Semi-forgettable. P.S. They rally together as a team.
© 2008 Simon Brookfield
