Will Ferrell has tackled it all.
He investigated news anchors in "Anchorman," shake and baked NASCAR in "Talladega Nights" and double-axeled figure skaters in "Blades of Glory." So it would seem natural that professional basketball would be next in his crosshairs, in "Semi-Pro."
Jackie Moon (Ferrell) is a former 70s pop singer, with his top hit opening the film, a Barry White-induced breathy, soulful disco song called "Love Me Sexy." With all his money made on that, he's purchased the American Basketball Association franchise, the Flint Tropics. He also is the head coach and power forward.
The NBA will be absorbing the top four teams in the ABA and the latter association will be dissolved. So Jackie and his rag-tag team, including his star player Clarence 'Coffee' Black (Andre Benjamin) and the newly acquired Ed Monix (Woody Harrelson), a former player for the Boston Celtics with a championship ring in tow but a sore butt from warming the bench his entire NBA tenure.
In order to make it as one of the teams to become an NBA franchise, Jackie uses his flair and passion for showmanship to present crazy tie-ins. In one instance, he wrestles a bear. Another, he and the rest of the team dress up in various beach/summer time characters-Jackie is in a sun costume, whereas Black is dressed as a seahorse.
Mostly, the team loves to get into fights as the all-too serious broadcaster Dick Pepperfield (Andrew Daly) and his color commenting partner, the smoking-and-drinking Lou Redwood (Will Arnett), call the shots to the face, groin and behind the knees.
All in all, "Semi-Pro" is funny. There are generally good, whole-hearted laughs. That withstanding, it's not all three-pointers. Some buzzer-beaters are lobbed in between in a desperate attempt for a laugh-some leave the crowd so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.
Ferrell is funny here, with a true-life afro he grew on his own. This is not on par with the utter genius of "Anchorman" or the fun stupidity of "Talladega" nights, but it works and serves it's purpose here.
While watching this, one cannot help but recall former Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck and the influence he must have had on the character of Jackie Moon. Veeck was known for crazy promotions to get fans in the stands, including the ill-fated, Steve Dahl-sponsored Disco Demolition Night in 1979, despite the awful team playing on-field.
Harrelson returns to what he does best: comedy. Sporting curled, dandy hair that looks like a wig he stole from Javier Bardem's dressing room on the set of "No Country for Old Men" (Harrelson had a small role in the Best Picture winner). He shows his true talent here but is decidedly not as prominent as he should be. "Kingpin" presented his natural, raw talent for comedy. Still, he is funny.
As is Benjamin (aka Andre 3000 of R&B duo Outkast). He stole the show in the otherwise terrible "Be Cool" and has great comic timing. Here, he plays the part he's called to do.
Stealing the show, though, are Arnett and, most especially, Daly. Arnett is perfectly great playing the looney characters that such films as Ferrell's call for. Daly is rules over all. Using the overly dedicated sports broadcasters take their work everywhere they go and use the same dramatic delivery he uses on-court during a fast break as off-court during a booze-induced poker game with the guys.
"Semi-Pro" is a silly, stupid movie that provides plenty of enough laughs. Ferrell puts on a full-court press for those laughs and falls somewhat short. Still, not all the gags rim out of the basket-they just aren't up to Ferrell's top of the key comedy.
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