Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

Finally a Ben Stiller movie that doesn't give me the same sensation as hearing nails on chalkboard. Despite the beautiful sunny and 70 degree day, I opted for giving myself a bit of culture this afternoon. Clearly that went a bit awry and I saw Dodgeball instead, but I thought I might as well share what I thought of it with the three people who visit this site.

Dodgeball is hilarious, and Ben Stiller is perfect at the over-the-top moronic asshole thing. Vince Vaughn is just plain cool, and Warren Cheswick from Ed (I don't know that kid's real name) has a memorable cheerleading scene, but the movie really picks up when Rip Torn enters as Patches O'Houlihan the dodgeball coach (whose teaching methods are adequately summed up by these words of wisdom: 'If you can dodge wrenches, you can dodge balls.' I'll leave you to imagine the outcome of a phrase like that.) and Jason Bateman acts as the worst announcer ever. (Think Captain Obvious meets skater punk.) The overall plot is pretty blah and formulaic (any guesses about the outcome? anyone? anyone?), but those two do a good job of livening it up, as do random cameos and identifying obscure actors: Milton and Lumbergh from Office Space play prominent roles, and there are appearances by Hank Azaria, Lance Armstrong, Chuck Norris, David Hasselhoff, and William Shatner. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon, but I'd probably feel less guilty if it had been a rainy Sunday afternoon.

I give it 3 1/2 (out of 5) flying wrenches.

Favorite line: "It's like watching a bunch of retards trying to hump a doorknob."