"Semi-Pro" is semi-entertaining to a fault

Rating: 7/10 (19 May 2009)

Kent Alterman's "Semi-Pro," is a semi-true historical account of the Flint Tropics, from Flint, Michigan. The movie is actually quite funny. I watched it with my friend and his younger brother. I laughed, and so did they. And considering I'm not a fan of Will Ferrell, "Semi-Pro" is much funnier than I thought it would be.
Set in 1976, Ferrell is Jackie Moon, a flamboyant singer/songwriter whose hit song was enough of a success for him to become owner of the Flint Tropics and also become its star player. He's a motivational leader, if nothing else. Fan attendance has been on the decline for some time now, and the Tropics have yet to win a game.
Things get worse for Jackie Moon when his corporate sponsors announce a merger with the NBA, which threatens the future of his Semi-Pro team. However, he manages to strike a deal that if his team finishes the end of the season within the top-four, the Tropics won't be disbanded and his players won't be forced to go back to meaningless, boring jobs in their ramshackle hometown. The team gets a leg-up when washed-up pro Ed Modix (Woody Harrelson) is traded to the team and eventually becomes the head coach.
"Semi-Pro" is a funny movie, considering the talents of leading funny-man Will Ferrell. He manages to keep this project afloat, despite my initial doubts about his acting talents, but he works, giving his scenes with enough leadership and witty one-liners to be a truly leading funny-man. Another surprise was Andre Benjamin as Clarence, the team hot-shot. Most surprising about his performance was that rather than him being a ball-hog, instead he's a human being who is capable of recognizing his own faults and actually being a team player.
"Semi-Pro" proved to be a solidly entertaining sports comedy, despite the fact I'm not a fan of Will Ferrell. I liked this movie. I think that because I saw the film in its unrated format, I got to see in all its comedic vulgarity. I guess that with the proper material, Ferrell is capable of being a lead performer and funny-man; he proved it with "Stranger Than Fiction." Ultimately, though, I think "Semi-Pro" will be relegated to the usual comedic fodder that's coming out of Hollywood these days.
7/10