Kicking & Screaming -- Rhinotainment

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Date Posted: 09:08:29 05/15/05 Sun
Author: Hugh Jazz
Subject: Kicking & Screaming

Grade: C

I think what happened here is that the crew set out to make a darker adult comedy, switched stream in the middle to make a "family movie" and the result here was a combination of the two. You know the movie wants to be quirky (one of the soccer players last names is "Apatow") and less sappy, but there are other forces at work derailing that. The script I found out was changed by the duo that brought us that gem of Holiday movie-making, The Santa Clause 2, so we can figure out how they changed this movie.

There are things that just don't fit. Ferrell develops an odd coffee addition, presumably to explain why he's transformed from a soft-spoken new-age vitamin salesman into a high strung, ultra competitive soccer coach. I felt like the movie had the idea about Ferrell being an obnoxious over-bearing soccer coach, but to make him more human or likeable they had to add some subplots and nonsensical back stories. They are funny moments, Ferrell delivers some one-liners that are genuinely enjoyable, but for the most part, I spent more time thinking "why?" instead of laughing.

Robert Duvall is fine, I don't think I've ever seen him give a bad performance, even in junk like this. Mike Ditka is surprisingly game and entertaining as Duvall's mortal enemy and neighbor that Ferrell enlists to be his assistant coach. The kids are your basic Bad News Bears types, the big one, the little one, the gross one, the lisping one with the floppy hair and, of course, the ringer (there are actually 2 of them). There are others, but why bothering mentioning them?

Not recommended.

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