KICKING & SCREAMING

by Jane Louise Boursaw

Rated PG for thematic elements, language, and some crude humor. 95 minutes. Directed by Jesse Dylan. Written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick. Released in theaters May 13, 2005. 

Is it just me, or is Will Ferrell in every other movie these days? He and Ben Stiller should start a club. Anyway, in this movie, Ferrell plays Phil Weston, a gentle vitamin salesman who, by default, ends up coaching his son Sam's (Dylan McLaughlin) last-place soccer team. Never mind that Phil’s never coached a game, because, hey, it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s whether you have fun, right?

Wrong. Forget the fun. Winning is EVERYthing when Phil is pitted against his competitive father, Buck (Robert Duvall), who coaches his own son Bucky’s (Josh Hutcherson) top-ranked team.

Phil’s been putting up with Buck’s put-downs his whole life, and he finally snaps like a twig (well, switching from herbal tea to double espresso had something to do with it, too). Phil tailspins into a crazed soccer-dad monster who’ll stop at nothing to win, even if it means recruiting the world’s best assistant coach, the legendary Mike Ditka (Buck’s vengeful neighbor, playing himself). Can father and son put their rocky past behind them, do what's best for their children, and realize that soccer is, after all, just a game? Hmmm...?

THE WRAP-UP: Will Ferrell has good comedic timing and is not afraid to make a fool of himself. I like that in a guy. Still, he’s one of those actors you either like or don’t like, and I’m still in the latter category, having given him plenty of chances in “Elf,” “Anchorman,” and other movies. In other words, I’m just not that into Will Ferrell. (Although, I still haven’t seen “Old School,” and have been told to reserve final judgment until I do.)

Aside from the message this movie offers to deranged soccer parents (Calm down, Dad, soccer is supposed to be fun!), I didn’t like the way Buck treated Phil, and still worse was how the kids were encouraged to win at all costs. Not good. But to be fair, Will Ferrell fans should at least check it out. He’s like a big kid who morphs into his competitive father during the course of the movie, and, well...I won’t give away the ending, but you can probably guess how it ends.

SCORE: 2 out of 4 Reels.

Jane's Reel Rating System:

One Reel – Pathetic. Even The Force can’t save it.

Two Reels – Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.

Three Reels – Pleasant. Something to talk about.

Four Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

E-chat with me at jane@reellifewithjane.com - I LOVE to talk about movies!

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