Reviews by Matt

There is a reason why when I list my favorite actors I include people like Edward Norton, Christian Bale and Clive Owen. It is because they pick roles that stretch their talent and do something unique the majority of the time.

One name that will never be on that list is Will Ferrell and his new,-and I use that term loosely, movie “Semi-Pro” is just another in a long list of reason why.

Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, an owner/coach/player of the ABA’s Flint Tropics. In the 1970s, the ABA was going to merge with the NBA. Moon suggests that the top four teams get absorbed into the NBA.

The problem is that his team is in the bottom of the league. Now if he wants to reach his dream of coaching in the NBA he must bring his team up from the bottom.

Oh, and Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin, and some other people star in it as well. Granted with the overacting Ferrell, the other actors get lost in the fray.

Ferrell has been playing the same character in the majority of his movies. This is just another example of how untalented he really is. He has to yell and flail about in order to be “funny.”

One perfect example is when the announcement is made that the two leagues are merging. Ferrell stands up and yells like the moron he is then says the line we all have heard in the trailer, “I’m so happy I can’t even feel my arms,” all while waving his arms about. Now, this might be funny if this was the first time one of his characters has done something like this, but Ricky Bobby, Ron Burgundy and that guy from “Blades of Glory” have all done the same crap.

Putting aside the yelling of Ferrell, this movie is still not that funny. There are only so many ways to gimmick up the movie to make it “funnier.” I would have loved to be in the meeting where some “genius” said, “Lets have Will Ferrell wrestle a bear” and smacked them in the face.

There was even a sympathy scene for Tim Meadows, who was in obvious need of work. There is just a random poker scene where some of the characters are talking and joking and Meadows is randomly there. The scene serves no purpose other than to give Meadows a paycheck.

Normally I give Ferrell some credit. He has had his moments. I just watched “Wedding Crashers” over the weekend and he had a pretty funny part in that. This tired, over done acting is getting old and I need some proof that he is not a one trick pony. Sadly there are legions of Ferrell fans out there that will defend his “comedic genius” to the death. I just do not see it anymore.

Quite frankly, it exhausts me to even think about this movie any longer.

5 out of 10
Rated R for language and some sexual content
80 min