Review of Semi-Pro (2008) by Todd B — 23 Jul 2012

If you're a hard-core Will Ferrell fan who needs another hilarious sports parody, stop reading this review now--you have to see this movie. If, however, you're looking for a comedy that's not absolutely dripping with crude, sexual, and idiotic jokes left and right, you might want to look somewhere else.

The film focuses on '70s "pop sensation" and writer of the No. 1 hit song, "Love Me Sexy," Jackie Moon (Ferrell), who ends up buying a crappy ABA team, the Michigan Flint Tropics.

When Jackie decides to trade the team washing machine for a washed up has-been, Monix (Woody Harrelson), the team finally starts turning around and makes a run for the chance to merge with the NBA. "Semi-Pro" quickly decides to go w/ the R rating by adding a few more f-bombs and a sex scene, but in the end, the jokes really aren't that obscene.

..they're just way more frequent than all of Ferrell's previous flicks. That's not saying that the movie isn't funny, though, because "Semi-Pro" is definitely hilarious. You'll almost die laughing when Jackie Moon orders his team to wait for a commercial break to start a brawl w/ the opposing team while War's "Why Can't We Be Friends?" song blasts from the background.

The scene where Ferrell tackles his teammate to avoid scoring over 125 pts and avoid having to give the crowd free corn dogs is also a highlight--and who wouldn't laugh anytime they hear Ferrell sing "Love Me Sexy" ? On the flip side, however, "Semi-Pro" is by far the least impressive of Ferrell's sport-parody flicks.

I'm not sure whether the crude jokes just got old by the end, or whether the film had too much Harrelson and not enough Will (Ferrell's role actually doesn't play that big of a role in this movie), but the ultimate enjoyment reminiscent of "Talledega" and "Blades of Glory" just isn't there anymore.

I still had a good time with "Semi-Pro," but just not as much as I would've liked to, and this movie is the perfect example of DUMB comedy--a lot of laughs, but not much substance.