Review of DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story (2004) by Filipeneto — 04 Sep 2019

Just another sports comedy ...

This film is a slapstick-like comedy that brings us a little-known "sport": dodgeball, a game that, for us in Europe, is more connoted with childhood and school than with the world of professional and federated sports. Here in Portugal it is called "Queimada" or "Game of the Forest".

The script is based on the boundless rivalry between Peter La Fleur, the owner of a small gym, and White Goodman, the owner of a gym corporation, who opens yet another establishment, right outside the door of La Fleur's gym. Things get worse when La Fleur is truly in danger of losing its small gym to its direct competitor. To pay what they owe, they decide to participate in the National Dodgeball Championship, where Goodman is already registered.

This movie is nothing new or original. The exposed plot is similar in everything to dozens of other sports-themed films, where the good ones try to beat the bad guys within four lines, while the bad guys try to use all means, including cheating, to win. It's a markedly humorous movie, with jokes all the time ... some of which are really funny while others not so much. It is a style of humor that does not appeal to everyone, but it will appeal to those who already like this genre.

Ben Stiller is an actor with a lot of experience in this type of comedy, where he fits perfectly, and he is responsible for most of the jokes, with a strongly cartoon character and with touches of social criticism. I liked the work of the actor, he really steals attention for himself and not always (almost never) had anyone to shoulder with him. Vince Vaughn was up to the character and gave him a touch of honesty and sincerity, but is too serious to make him laugh. Christine Taylor is the girl in the movie, but it doesn't do much more than be a presumed future romantic pair of Vaughn's character. The rest of the cast gives the essential support and is funny when it has to be. In addition, we have small cameos from Lance Armstrong (it was not yet known how he truly won the Tour), Chuck Norris, David Hasselhoff and other well-known names.

This movie is funny ... it doesn't make us laugh until it hurts, because many of the jokes used are not particularly elegant, but entertain the weather quite well and do not disappoint us.