Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story Movie Review:


In the tradition of such ridiculous brainless comedies like Zoolander and Starsky & Hutch, Ben Stiller does it again with more of a original concept in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Nothing close to the vicinity of such raunchy classics like There is Something About Mary or Dumb and Dumber, Dodgeball is still a hysterically combustible ride from beginning to end.

The film centers on Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn), who is the bankrupted owner of Average Joe’s gym. LaFleur’s business does not have many memberships, but the ones that do attend his gym are ordinary people that are nerdish outcasts of society. A few of Average Joe’s regulars include a man who believes he is a pirate (Alan Tudyk), a wanna-be cheerleader high school student (Justin Long) and Gordon (Steven Root), who has a mail-order wife off of the Internet. Across the street resides Globo Gym, a state of the art workout facility that also offers body-enhancing services (plastic surgery) for its customers. The founding owner of Globo Gym is a millionaire egotistical antagonist named White Goodman (Ben Stiller). Due to Peter’s financial problems, Goodman has put in the first bid to buy Average Joe’s and turn it into a parking garage for his Globo Gym customers. The bank sends along a beautiful financial analyst named Kate (Christine Taylor) to go through all of Average Joe’s records in preparation for Goodman’s buying. After turning down all of Goodman’s aggressive sexual advances, Kate finds a sweet spot for all of the gym’s members, and especially for Peter. Out of options, Peter and his friends find a way to make the money to save Average Joe’s, by competing in the Dodgeball World Championships in Las Vegas. After barely qualifying to get in the championship, Peter and his team pick up an aging and mean spirited ex-Dodgeball player named Patches O’ Houlihan (Rip Torn) as their coach. The new mentor teaches them all the discipline of the game, and trains them in many over the top drills, such as dodging wrenches. Kate joins the team, shortly after all learn that she has a great arm after once being a softball pitcher. Once White Goodman learns of Peter’s idea of playing dodgeball to pay off his debt, he enters in his own team of misfits to play against them in the championships called the “Purple Cobras.” Through many very amusing incidents, the “Average Joes” finally get to Las Vegas, to where they eventually square against the world and the “Purple Cobras” in efforts to save their gym.

Dodgeball is so raunchy that at times it is downright repulsive, but it still works due to the quirky writing and choices of director Rawson Marshall Thurber. First off, it is just utterly funny to watch people get drilled every five seconds in this film by a big red rubber ball. Of course, the crotch shots get old, but the numerous shots to the face are hilarious. Thurber does not try to hammer home any type of sentimental message with Peter and his team’s attempts to save their gym, he merely set out to make a enjoyably stupid sports comedy and he has done that.

Though not as witty as other sports comedies like Major League or Kingpin, this is a far better cry than the similarly insulting Baseketball. The characters themselves are natural commodities for a film of this nature. Rip Torn’s Coach O’Houlihan spurts out insult after insult, which are degrading but more than anything funny. Stiller’s White Goodman is a just a uniquely sick creation that only an actor like Ben Stiller could play. The only character that really seemed to be reaching too far was Steve the Pirate, who was obviously created due to the recent success of last summer’s Pirates of the Caribbean. However, the most viable choice by Thurber with Dodgeball was his effective use of cameo appearances of celebrities, who practically make fun of themselves. Included are Lance Armstrong, William Shatner, David Hasselhoff as inspiration for the German dodgeball team, and the best by far being Chuck Norris as a part of a very important committee to the film.

Ben Stiller bounces back from his dreadful work in Envy to play the vigorous egomaniac White Goodman. As in the past, Stiller dons huge hair and a quirky mustache in this typical Ben Stiller performance. Vince Vaughn switches gears from playing the 70’s bad guy in Starsky & Hutch to playing the leader of the average guys. Vaughn cockiness becomes old quickly, but his precise gestures and sarcasm works to his advantage. Stiller’s wife Christine Taylor does what is need of her as the female lead of the film, much like she did in Zoolander. Office Space’s Steven Root is comical as the never get mad Gordon as is Gary Cole as color commentator for the dodgeball matches.

Dodgeball was not made to be a comedic masterpiece; it was made as purely stupid fun. It does not take itself seriously; neither should anyone that goes to see it. This film does press the gross-out humor to its limits, to where Dodgeball could have very well been rated R. Nonetheless; it is a vibrant escapism comedy with the originality of the schoolyard game of dodgeball as its focal point.

Grade: B-

06/18/04
Joseph Tucker

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There have been a lot of sports comedies over the years. Some have been memorable like 1989’s Major League and some have been horrendous like 1998’s Baseketball. But there never has been a sports comedy based on a game we all used to play in high school gym.

“Dodgeball” begins when White Goodman (Ben Stiller), owner of gym-juggernaut Globo-Gym hires bank employee Kate Veatch (Christine Taylor) to takeover Average Joe’s, a neighborhood gym owned by Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaughn).

It turns out that Peter and his socially-challenged members have 30 days to come up with $50,000 or watch their past time be demolished to give way for a Globo-Gym parkade.

It is an insurmountable task but their saving grace may come in the form of a professional “dodgeball” tournament in Las Vegas. Ok, they don’t have a chance. Or do they?

When you make a film like “Dodgeball” you really have to have a great villain and Ben Stiller’s White Goodman is the perfect comedy villain. He seems to be an amalgamation of several other Stiller characters mixed with an insane health freak. But the combination turns into pure comic genius.

Vince Vaughn plays the film’s hero and his portrayal has a lot in common with his leading character in 2003’s Old School. He tries to help all these social rejects find their place in the world. This time he is more laid back then he was in “Old School” as he plays his hero with flawed compassion.

The film’s group of misfits includes Rip Torn (Men in Black), Justin Long (Jeepers Creepers), Stephen Root (TV’s Newsradio) and Alan Tudyk (TV’s Firefly). Each one of these lovable losers has their key moment throughout the film.

There are a lot of great cameos from the likes of David Hasselhoff, William Shatner, Chuck Norris, Gary Cole and Jason Bateman.

There are a lot of laughs in the film but when the laughs subside and we are sometimes left with Stiller’s ranting the joke wears thin. The problem with making a film like this is that you have to focus primarily on the jokes and forget about a message or deeper feelings. Basically what you have is a sports comedy mixed with “Revenge of the Nerds”. In the heat of the summer season that really isn’t all bad.

Dodgeball is a great “leave-your-brain-at-the-door” comedy but that is about all.

(3 out of 5)

So Says the Soothsayer

Dean Kish

Average Joe’s Gym is on the verge of going under and being taken over by archrivals Globo Gym but owner Peter La Fleur (Vaughn) and his loyal patrons are not going to give in without a fight. Avid obscure sports fan Gordon (Root) comes up with the answer, they enter the International Dodgeball Championships in Las Vegas and win the $50,000 first prize to save their beloved gym. Globo Gym owner White Goodman (Stiller) has other ideas and enters his own super-team to stop Average Joe’s at any cost.

The problem with sports films is that they are extremely predictable but Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story takes this point and deliberately rips into it.

All sports films are the same. You have you underdog team that has the potential to be winner because all they need is the right motivation for a reluctant coach. We’ve seen this so many times before in most sports movies that have come out of the Hollywood playing field. Dodgeball is exactly the same but it this is on purpose. This is a movie that takes the much-used sporting story structure and then pumps it full of comedic steroids.

While the story is the same as usual, underdog team of no hopers against a super team, writer/director Rawson Marshell and his cast deliberately uses this to parody every facet of the genre. Firstly, the Average Joe’s team is full of complete no hopers but they are taken to the extreme. One of them thinks he is a pirate, another wants to be a cheerleader to impress a girl and one is a fitness geek how just uses the gym to escape his family. These are not your average sports movie heroes and that is the film’s first plus point. Secondly, you have a season coach who will shape the team into a set of winners. In Patches O’Houlihan you have just the man for the job and again he uses extreme methods to get his points across. With expressions like “If you can dodge traffic you can dodge a Dodgeball”, Patches’ rigorous training scheme is a highlight. Thirdly, you have to have an unlikeable challenger and in Globo Gym Cobras leader White Goodman, you have just that. With the complete opposite philosophy to Average Joe’s, White Goodman and his Globo Gym team are suitably over the top and instantly boo-able.

Bringing these characters to life is an ensemble cast full of comedic flair. Vince Vaughn continues his return to form with another one of his deadpan performances. This is the Vince Vaughn that fans know and love, firing off one-liners and oozing coolness. Rip Torn is hilarious as Dodgeball veteran Patches O’Houlihan. His training methods are hysterically funny and some of his lines will have you crying with laughter. Christine Taylor should appear in more movies, as she is a real comedic talent. Besides from looking great, she has good comic timing and anyone who saw the Brady Bunch movies would concur with that. Ben Stiller almost steals the show however, as Globo Gym CEO White Goodman. This is Stiller at his over the top best, producing a character that you really despise. There is absolutely nothing to like about him making him a great villain.

Backing up the main leads is a first rate comedic ensemble and some very funny cameos. Justin Long, Stephen Root, Alan Tudyk, Joel Moore and Chris Williams are very funny as the rest of the Average Joe’s team. Gary Cole and Jason Bateman are brilliant as the ESPN 8 anchormen and look out for scene stealing guest spots from the likes of Hank Azaria, William Shatner and quite a few more surprises.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is a sports film parody that hits you in the funny bone more times than it strikes out. There are some genuine laugh-out-loud moments and it is filled one-liners and gaffs a plenty to crack a smile on even the most harden face. This is a sports movie that has the balls to poke fun at a genre that takes it self far too seriously.

Star Rating = * * * *

Jamie Kelwick

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