It’s been a year and a half since Will Ferrell starred in “Stranger than Fiction,” a pretty successful dramedy with an off-beat vibe. Though not exactly a landmark in itself, “Fiction” marked a departure from the normative Ferrell character and had people wondering if a more subtle, thoughtful version was on the horizon. “Blades of Glory” directly followed, and now “Semi-Pro” solidifies the fact that being a thinking-man’s comedian is the last of his priorities. Now, the question is: Is that a good thing?
“Semi-Pro” is yet another in Ferrell’s beloved lineage of sports spoofs, this time riffing on the American Basketball Association, a real-life professional league that competed for popularity with the NBA through much of the 1970s. Ferrell’s rich and pompous Jackie Moon character buys the Flint Tropics, one of the worst teams in the league, and treats himself to the starting power forward position.
Due to lack of fan interest, the ABA strikes a deal with the NBA to merge four of its teams and dissolve the rest. After much Farrell-led bickering and shouting, the ABA board moves to have the four squads with the best records at the end of the season be the ones to survive. So, Jackie trades for a washed-up Guard named Monix (Woody Harrelson), pairs him with his only other hopeful player, Clarence Black (André Benjamin), and starts to make a run toward the top.
While generally sticking to the same formula as his other films, “Semi-Pro” does deviate from other Ferrell sports fare. It’s rated R, which allows it a certain sense of freedom that his last few films have lacked. As much as a well thought-out and clever line is appreciated, a well-timed F-bomb will almost always coax a laugh, and “Semi-Pro” is not above getting its giggles in the cheapest ways possible. Many profanity-infused scenes do manage to tickle, but your ears become numb to it with a disappointing quickness.
Another noticeable change is that Scot Armstrong’s screenplay does not revolve around Ferrell’s character. Jackie Moon is used like Jeff Spicoli in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”: He is given the majority of the movie’s funny lines but not its heart; this rests in Harrelson’s hands. His character and subplot about lost love seem to get at least equal screen time to Ferrell. This allows Jackie to be used in only the most ridiculous of ways, never to be forced to climb down from his goofy cloud to make the story work.
Even with its two wise modifications, “Semi-Pro” overdoes its welcome at only an hour and a half running time. It’s certainly not without its mirth, but nearly all the funny parts take place in the first 30 minutes. From there, it’s a slow hike up a predictable mountain.
All those who ask nothing else of Ferrell than what they already know will most likely be satisfied. Anyone else probably ought to steer clear.