Never brilliant, but consistently funny throughout

Rating: 6/10 (31 August 2008)

This is another solid movie from Will Ferrell. While Semi-Pro is never on par with his best efforts (Old School and Anchorman), it doesn't disappoint either.
As usual, the film is just a bunch of Will Ferrell skits thrown together. The story of the ABA's Flint Tropics trying to make the big-time in the NBA is purely secondary to Ferrell's comic ideas. There are a few lulls, but for the most part Semi-Pro delivers with consistent laughs. Yes, it's a stupid, silly story. If you don't have a sense of goofy fun, you should avoid this movie. As a sports comedy, it fits very much in the same genre as Dodgeball and The Waterboy. There are the standard inspirational speeches about teamwork, the intense big game against a key rival, the bizarre play-by-play announcers... we've seen this all before. Despite the clichéd sports aspect, the sight of Will Ferrell trying to play basketball (or do anything athletic) is somehow always hysterical.
So why does this movie fall short of Will Ferrell's best effort, Anchorman? In Anchorman the entire cast contributed. Everyone had a chance to get in on the act and this lead to some unforgettable scenes. In Semi-Pro, there's a sense that Will Ferrell is doing his own thing and everyone else is just along for the ride.
While not a masterpiece, the movie received some unfairly harsh reviews from critics. If you're a Will Ferrell fan, it's definitely worth watching.