Semi-Pro

After watching the trailers and commercials for Will Ferrell’s latest movie, Semi-Pro, you’re probably thinking the same thing that most people are – Do we really need another Will Ferrell sports comedy? It’s definitely a valid question. We’ve seen Kicking and Screaming, Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory, what else is there for Ferrell to do with these off the wall sports flicks? The answer is simple – not much. Despite having flashes of Ferrell greatness, Semi-Pro doesn’t really do anything new.

Jackie Moon (Will Ferrell) is the owner, coach and player for the Flint Michigan Tropics, a failing basketball franchise in the American Basketball Association, a failing league. At the end of the current season the ABA will be merging with the NBA, a dream come true for Jackie. However, Jackie’s excitement is cut short when he realizes that only four teams will be moving to the NBA and The Tropics aren’t one of them. He doesn’t give up though, and urges the commissioner to allow the top four teams to move to the NBA, giving Jackie till the end of the season to make fourth place and bring the Tropics to the NBA.

If you’ve seen any of the aforementioned Will Ferrell sports comedies then you know what you’re in for. Ferrell once again plays a quirky man-child like character who doesn’t seem to be in touch with reality. In fact, basketball isn’t even on the top of the list for Jackie, he’s more focused on providing an entertaining show rather than a thrilling game of basketball, he even dedicates The Tropic’s practice time to choreographing half time shows with his misfit team that includes Valkidis, the teams seven-foot center who can’t speak English, and Coffee Black (André Benjamin), the Tropics’ show-boating star player who dreams of playing in the NBA.

So is it funny? Does it stack up against some of the all-time Ferrell greats like Anchorman and Old School? Well, Ferrell doesn’t have Adam McKay, fellow writer of Anchorman, by his side but instead has Scot Armstrong, writer of Old School, and unfortunately the two can’t seem to create the same ‘magic’ they did with the college comedy, mainly because Ferrell doesn’t have Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson by his side. There are a few moments where that Ferrell greatness shines through, but most of the jokes throughout Semi-Pro are just rehashes of from other Ferrell flicks. With the 70s backdrop and disco tunes rocking throughout, Ferrell is obviously trying to recreate moments from Anchorman but just misses the mark completely. The majority of the laughs come from Will Arnet and Andrew Daly who completely steal the movie from Ferrell as two sports commentators.

The other major downfall with Semi-Pro lies with Woody Harrelson, who plays an aging ex-NBA star who comes in to help the Tropics. He seems completely out of place and awkward as Ferrell’s straight man. There’s also an unnecessary romantic sub-plot involving Harrelson and an ex-girlfriend. It’s not funny at all and goes nowhere.

Overall, fans of Ferrell will be able to find some laughs in Semi-Pro - just don’t expect it to stack up against any of his comedy classics.