two and a half stars

Reviewed by Daniel E. Jennis

Before the high-flying dunkers and ball-handling wizards came to the NBA, they played in the American Basketball Association (ABA), a makeshift league supported by a loyal fan base and the promise of flashy and stylized basketball. Due to a lack of profitability, the ABA eventually folded and several ABA franchises merged into the NBA, while others were left out.

“Semi-Pro” is the story of a fictional team, the Flint Tropics, that refuses to be excluded from the terms of the merger. The Tropics are owned and coached by singer Jackie Moon (Will Ferrell), an aloof and conceited weirdo who embraces gimmicky and outrageous marketing techniques. Moon wants the Tropics to be able to play themselves into the NBA, earning one of the merger spots based upon total winning percentage. He is opposed in this view by the ABA Commissioner (David Koechner), a hard lined businessman who takes umbrage with Moon’s disregard for conventional ownership strategies.

This film is one in a long line of irreverent sports-themed comedies starring Will Ferrell. The other movies, all of which performed reasonably well at the box office, featured Ferrell’s patented shenanigans as well as a dramatic overlay that fit in very poorly with the random and egocentric humor. “Semi-Pro” is no different, which helps to explain the rather lackluster performance the film has achieved with both fans and critics. Ultimately, the time has come for Ferrell to broaden his horizons. Until he does this, his movies will become progressively less funny, and certainly less novel.

One substantial difference between this picture and Ferrell’s earlier work is that “Semi-Pro” has earned a hard “R” rating. This means more foul language and more crude humor. Operating within the boundaries of the “R” rating, it should have been possible to develop a script that was both more mature in its selection of content, and more innovative and gutsy in terms of the humor chosen. However, neither is the case, as this basketball comedy is merely an extension of the usual humor, with a tad more cursing and one unnecessary sex scene.

I still think Will Ferrell is a great comedian, and there are a lot of moments in “Semi-Pro” where it will be hard not to laugh aloud. The physical humor is better than expected, and there are also bits of dialogue that resonate in their gross immaturity. But despite moments of enjoyment, I prefer comedies that don’t leave me feeling jaded.