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Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story [2004]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

How's this for impressive trivia: Dodgeball faced off against The Terminal in opening-weekend competition, and 29-year-old writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber aced Steven Spielberg by a score of $30 to $18.7 in US box-office millions. That's no mean feat for a newcomer, but Thurber's lowbrow script and rapid-fire direction--along with a sublime cast of screen comedians--proved to be just what moviegoers were ravenous for: a consistently hilarious, patently formulaic romp in which the underdog owner of Average Joe's Gym (Vince Vaughan) faces foreclosure unless he can raise $50,000 in 30 days. The solution: A dodgeball tournament offering $50K to the winners, in which Vaughan and his nerdy clientele team up against the preening, abhorrently narcissistic owner (Ben Stiller) of Globo Gym, who's threatening a buy-out. That's it for story; any 5-year-old could follow it with brainpower to spare. But Thurber, Vaughan, Stiller, and their well-cast costars (including Stiller's off-screen wife, Christine Taylor) keep the big laughs coming for 96 nonsensical minutes. With spot-on cameos by champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong, David Hasselhoff, Hank Azaria, Chuck Norris, and William Shatner, and a crudely amusing coda for those who watch past the credits, Dodgeball is no masterpiece, but you can bet Spielberg was unexpectedly humbled by its popular appeal. --Jeff Shannon

Editorial
Synopsis

In DODGEBALL - A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY, Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn team up once again (following STARSKY AND HUTCH) for another comic romp. While hilariously satirizing modern-day gym culture, the film also celebrates a sport that has previously been relegated to the elementary school playground. Peter La Fleur (Vaughn) owns the decrepit Average Joe's gym, which has been losing its clients ever since the glitzy Globo Gym opened up across the street. White Goodman (Stiller), Globo Gym's main spokesman, is a preposterously vain egomaniac on the cusp of taking over La Fleur's failing business. La Fleur learns from a beautiful attorney (Christine Taylor) that if he doesn't come up with $50,000 in 30 days, his career running a gym will be over. Potential salvation arrives in the form of a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament, but conquering a sport one hasn't played in several decades isn't such an easy feat. Fortunately for Peter, he finds a coach for his team: the hardheaded, ex-superstar Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn). As Peter and his ragtag team make their way to the championship in Las Vegas, they must contend with White, who has assembled a team of his very own. Rawson Marshall Thurber's debut feature is a highly assured work, which features hilarious cameos from Chuck Norris, Lance Armstrong, David Hasselhoff, and William Shatner.

Mindlessly entertaining
Review date: 2008-07-03 Rating: 6 out of 10

Mindless entertainment and it would be churlish of me to pick too many faults with a film that features cameos from William Shatner, David Hasselhoff and Chuck Norris!

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Reviews


Was I watching a different film to everyone else?
Review date: 2008-04-15 Rating: 4 out of 10

There were some funny moments in this, but they were few and far between.

Stiller has done stuff much funnier than this. The film just doesn't compare to stuff in the same vein, like The Fokkers, Blades of Glory, Wedding Crashers, even Zoolander, etc.

I thought it just tried too hard, with the characters just that little too zany to engage the viewer's interest. Why have a bloke who thinks he's a pirate for example?

I'm all for parodying underdog and sports movies - but this one was just too slapdash, lazy, and poorly written. They could learn from Mike Bassett.

Indescribably funny
Review date: 2008-04-08 Rating: 10 out of 10

Who would have honestly thought that it was possible to make a film about a minority sport and turn it into such a success? But that's exactly what they've done here, with some side-splittingly funny scenes, some memorable lines and people getting hit by wrenches and cars...what more could you ask for in a film?!?

Simply hilarious
Review date: 2008-02-13 Rating: 8 out of 10

This is the funniest movie I have seen in a very long time and regularly had me laughing aloud. As with all sports\comedy films there are times where the plot is a little thin or has a gaping hole but you are usually to busy crying with laughter to notice it.

The acting by Vaughn and stiller is first rate and they portray their characters brilliantly.

The supporting cast does a good job in most cases and provide some of the laughs.

This is a very easy film to watch and enjoy i would recommend it to everyone, especially if you are a fan of vaughn or stiller

very, very funny mickey -take of competitive sports
Review date: 2007-10-13 Rating: 8 out of 10

The dialogue in this film is atrocious and deliberately so, and this is what makes it so enjoyable. The mickey -taking of macho competitive sports and even of the sports commentators is terrific.The standard of the direction and editing of Dodgeball make the action exciting and visually the whole film is sumptuous to look at.The bonus features are worth seeing too.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Christine Taylor
Ben Stiller
Justin Long
Vince Vaughn
Rip Torn

Creators:
Vince Vaughn (Primary Contributor)
Christine Taylor (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036019217
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2005-01-31
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 88 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2004
Language: English (Original Language)

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