Our Spy Goes SEMI-PRO In Thousand Oaks!

Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here. The teaser trailer for this is so completely fucking silly that it won me over. And, yes, I agree that seeing Will Ferrell (please learn to spell his name, everyone... please) do a new variation on a sports movie is at this point about the same as seeing Jim Varney either go to jail or join the Army. You pretty much knew exactly what you were getting, and the same is true of Will. The difference for me, of course, is that Will Ferrell’s brand of brainy oddbally surrealism with a touch of runaway meatball makes me laugh. There’s a sliding scale for how good they are, of course. I thought TALLADEGA NIGHTS, for example, was very, very funny, while I thought KICKING AND SCREAMING was fairly close to unwatchable. So where on that sliding scale does SEMI-PRO fall? Let’s see what this spy had to say...

Hey Harry, Me and a Buddy of mine just saw a free screening of Will Ferrell's new period-comedy, SEMI-PRO. This is yet another film in which the Ferrell Stereo-type inhabits a sports related world. While the movie is funny at times, the genre itself is getting a little fucking tiring. Will Ferrell does: Nascar, Will Ferrell does: Pee-wee soccer, Will Ferrell does: Ice-skating, Will Ferrell Does: Your Mom, and here, Will Ferrell does: Basketball. I don't pretend to be a Will Ferrell hater, I do think his knappy chested man-shield is still funny, but he needs to put his talents to better use at this point. The movie has a decently funny cast, including Woody Harrelson, who is actually the star of the film. I don't mean he overshines Ferrell, but the movie is driven mostly around Woody's character. It's jarring to tell you the truth. It's an early cut, and I do think they can fix many of their problems in the editing room. They just have to cut back a bit on some of their story lines. The film mostly plays out following Woody Harrelson pursuing a love interest, and coaching the team. Will Ferrell is often trying to promote the team and earn money in various ways (Jumping women on rollerskates, and fighting a bear). And also follows a third character, Coffee, played by Andre Benjamin, who is the team's star player. The film opens with a high and mighty, Jackie Moon, played by Ferrell, and suddenly we are introduced to Woody, as an ex, NBA star, who will be used on the team as Ferrell's secret weapon of success. The introductory scene to Woody's character, gives the impression that he's some kind of hip, idiot. It was a bad way to introduce his character because later we realize that he's our straight man. The film nearly abandon's the slap-stick, ridiculous humor as he tries to earn his woman back, and we are left with a love story. However, the love story doesnt fully develop and in the end, the movie felt confused as to what it wanted to be and who it should follow. Overall, it's got some great moments and in my opinion, its funnier than Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory. They just need to make some decisions on plot lines in that old, cutting room. If you use this, call me Don Cheadle.If you don't use this, call me a cab.