Entertaining trifle

Rating: Null/10 (24 August 2011)

A supremely silly film from Ben Stiller, this film features the charismatic Vince Vaughn and Stiller's real-life wife Christine Taylor as well as Stiller himself as misanthropic meathead White Goodman whose financial prospects are on the rise, while those of Vaughn's Pete LaFleur are on the descent. Goodman's mustachioed, comedically hyper-masculine gym owner wants to take over LaFleur's gym and convert it into a parking lot for his own gym which he will get the opportunity to do if Vaughn and his small band of hapless, loyal members cannot raise $50,000 within the next month. Gordon (Stephen Root) reads in his obscure sports magazine about a dodgeball tournament of which the grand prize is $50,000.
So the band of ne'er-do-wells enters the tournament, not realizing how hapless they look-a man who thinks he is a pirate (Alan Tudyk), a man with no pride (Gary Cole), a man whose prime interest is in the most obscure sports around, and a young man whose cheerleading tryout left him the laughingstock of his school (Justin Long). Will they succeed in keeping the gym open? What do you think? This is cotton-candy thick entertainment. It's good for a few laughs. Justin Long, Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, and Stiller in particular are very good in their roles. If you like some of these actors and a light-hearted, enjoyable film, this one is for you.