2005 - Rated PG - 1 hr 35 min
Director: Jesse Dylan
Starring: Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Mike Ditka, Kate Walsh, Musetta Vander, Elliott Cho, Dylan McLaughlin, Josh Hutcherson, Rachael Harris, David Herman
Will Ferrell does a kids' movie (kinda) and I just can't help but think it's hillarious. I know not everyone is a big Ferrell fan, but I unabashedly am (except for Semi-Pro, which you will not see on this blog. Nope.)
Here, he battles his competitive dad Robert Duvall by coaching the underdog pee wee soccer team (Duvall coaches the best team in the league). Ferrell teams up with famed NFL coach Mike Ditka, Duvall's nemesis next-door neighbor, who plays himself. Genius. He even coaches in his classic shirt, tie, and Bears sweater. Gotta love it.
Of course, the pressure sends Ferrell over the edge little by little, leading to scenes like the coffee shop throwdown and the butcher shop takeover (think chainsaw + half a cow). Some of its all for a cheap laugh, as is his usual style, but there's enough substance here to make this a feel-good comedy, more so than his others. His relationship with his son develops nicely, as does his connection to his own dad. And as he sees how interconnected the two relationships really are, he deals with it and makes the best of it.
Good stuff, all around. It's just cute and lots of fun to watch.
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