"Dumb and Dumber" meet "The Bad News Bears"

Rating: 5/10 (10 April 2006)

THE BENCHWARMERS (2006) ** Rob Schneider, David Spade, Jon Heder, Jon Lovitz, Craig Kilborn, Molly Sims, Tim Meadows, Nick Swardson, Erinn Bartlett, (Cameo: Reggie Jackson) Stupidly funny comedy about three loser friends (guess who) who form a baseball team to compete against little leaguers in an attempt to prove that nerds can kick butt as well as jocks. Schneider gives his best performance (surprisingly) to date as the unlikely latent athlete, Lovitz is a riot as a billionaire who tools around in the Batmobile and has hundreds of "Star Wars" tchotchkes in his home and Spade's snarky remarks still sting, while Heder continues his run of endearingly dopey characters. Swardson, who co- wrote, has some funny moments as Spade's albino agoraphobic brother. (Dir: Dennis Dugan)