Movie Review: Semi-Pro

Will Ferrell is back again, and once again, thanks to the wonderful women of Hollyscoop, I was able to view the special pre-release screening of his new comedy "Semi-Pro." Not as funny as his earlier films "A Night at the Roxbury," "Old School," "Elf," "Anchorman," and "Zoolander," or his little cameos in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," "Wedding Crashers," and "Austin Powers," but Will still has it. Whatever "IT" is, Will's definitely got it. More comparable to his latest accomplishments "Talladega Nights," and "Blades of Glory," "Semi-Pro" does not disappoint. However, it is not hysterical.

Will Ferrell is Jackie Moon. Owner, coach, promoter, and star player for the American Basketball Associations (ABA) Flint Michigan Tropics. Before the collapse of the ABA in 1976, the National Basketball Association (NBA) planned to merge with the four best teams of the ABA at the end of their final season. Not only are the Tropics not in the top four in the ABA, they are dead last! Now, it's up to Jackie Moon to rally his teammates to start winning, entertain his fans to keep coming back and selling out the seats, and do everything else it takes to get the Flint Michigan Tropics into the NBA. Realizing that he was able to buy the Tropics franchise off a single hit song "Love Me Sexy" he wrote years ago, Moon becomes fully aware that not only is he a terrible coach with no understanding of the game, he is not even a great basketball player. A sudden epiphany causes Jackie to trade the washing machine in the locker room to another team for a former NBA benchwarmer, Monix (Woody Harrelson) with a championship ring. Now, with Monix as the head coach, and Clarence 'Coffee' Black (Andre Benjamin) coming into his own, Jackie Moon has a real "SHOT" at getting this team to 4th place.

With tons of producer credit under his belt, Kent Alterman does more than an above average job for his directorial debut. Will Ferrell does what he does best, make us laugh. Woody Harrelson is great in a comedic performance (especially after what I just saw from him in "No Country For Old Men")... Wow! Andre Benjamin is witty and clever with his comedy, and with all the cameos throughout, including Will Arnett, Andy Richter, Maura Tierney, Andrew Daly, Tim Meadows, David Koechner, Rob Corddry, and Matt Walsh, "Semi-Pro" gets the job done. In conclusion, the greatest part of the film is the few minutes that Jackie Earle Haley makes his cameo... Unforgettable and unbelievably uproarious.

Pat the Movie Critic gives "Semi-Pro" ---- 3 Scoops.