Semi-Pro (2008)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Kent Alterman

Writer (WGA):

Scot Armstrong (written by)

Release Date:

29 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

The Greatest Fro on Earth

Plot:

Jackie Moon, the owner-coach-player of the American Basketball Association's Flint Michigan Tropics, rallies his teammates to make their NBA dreams come true

Plot Keywords:

Nba | Team | Basketball | Michigan | Merger

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 8	6:30 AM	MAX
Wed. July 8	8:30 PM	MAX
Wed. July 15	1:00 AM	MAX

Cast

Will Ferrell	...	Jackie Moon
Woody Harrelson	...	Monix
André Benjamin	...	Clarence
Maura Tierney	...	Lynn
Andrew Daly	...	Dick Pepperfield
Will Arnett	...	Lou Redwood
Andy Richter	...	Bobby Dee
David Koechner	...	Commissioner
Rob Corddry	...	Kyle
Matt Walsh	...	Father Pat the Ref
Jackie Earle Haley	...	Dukes
DeRay Davis	...	Bee Bee Ellis
Josh Braaten	...	Twiggy Munson
Jay Phillips	...	Scootsie Double Day
Peter Cornell	...	Vakidis

Also Known As:

Çaylak profesyonel (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
O ashet-ball (Greece) [el]
Semi-Pro - El amateur (Argentina) (DVD title) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

91 min | 98 min (unrated DVD version) | 99 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Ireland:15A | UK:15 | Australia:M | USA:R (certificate #43605) | Singapore:M18 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Sweden:7 | Japan:PG-12 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Flint, Michigan, USA

Company:

Donners' Company

Trivia:

In the film, Jackie Moon says that he had never vomited before, not even as a baby. In reality, Will Ferrell suffered from pyloric stenosis, a condition that causes frequent vomiting, as a baby. A scar on his upper right abdomen, from the surgery he had to treat this condition, appears in this and many other films.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Jackie Moon talks about PBS wanting to do a special about him never able to "puke" as a child. PBS did not air until 1970, not during the 1940s or 1950s: The time of Jackie Moon's childhood.

Quotes:

Monix: Vakidis, open the window will ya?
Vakidis: Yes, right on!
[does nothing]
Monix: Did you give Bobby Dee a handjob?
Vakidis: Yes, right on!

Movie Connections:

References Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976)

Soundtrack:

Never, Never Gonna Give You Up

You Like Will Ferrel? Go on ahead and see it then...

This movie hinges on one simple fact: do you or do you not just enjoy Will Ferrel?

If the answer to that is yes, then you will enjoy this a lot. Because there's not much new doing here: it's Ferell as another idiotic, self-loving, loud and beef-headed, dim-witted professional...insert obscure profession or athlete. This is just "Anchorman", "Ricky Bobby", "Blades of Glory", or what have you, except in basketball. If you enjoy those movies, and Will Ferrel's shameless antics (I'm not saying they're bad, I'm just saying I want to see him try something else now and then) then here's one for you.

But I also give kudos to the supporting players (like Woody Harrelson, who in a stroke of brilliance, is acting like he's in a real drama and not a spoof), the inspired 70's soundtracks and references. 6/10