In all likelihood, your enjoyment of "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" will depend on one thing — whether you find it hilarious to see people being hit in the head with red rubber balls and wrenches.
Those who do will obviously be delighted by this slapstick-heavy comedy. Of course, there's more to the movie than just that; there are also shots to the groin and other cheap, crude jokes.
Still, in spite of that — and in spite of some of the film's more mean-spirited moments — it does manage to scrounge up some genuine laughs. Occasionally, "Dodgeball" is laugh-out-loud funny, which goes a long way toward redeeming the rest.
The "underdog" in the film's title is Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn), a rather aimless and business-challenged owner of Average Joe's, a failing gym that's about to go under. Worse, his longtime rival, successful gym owner White Goodman (Ben Stiller), has plans to turn Average Joe's into a parking lot — unless Peter can come up with the $50,000 needed to stop the bank from foreclosing.
Then, one of Peter's gym rats (Stephen Root) discovers there's a national dodgeball competition, where the prize money is, ironically, $50,000. If they could only whip their motley team into shape.
Fortunately, they get a much-needed shot in the arm when dodgeball legend Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn) agrees to coach. Also, it turns out the bank's lawyer, Kate Veatch (Christine Taylor), has a killer arm, and she's willing to join the team.
First-time filmmaker Rawson Marshall Thurber's strongest asset here may be brisk pacing. The first hour flies by so quickly that some of the film's more flawed bits go virtually unnoticed.
Playing the villain, Stiller is much more over-the-top than the low-key Vaughn, in essence reversing their "Starsky & Hutch" roles. (Stiller is also front-and-center for the final, after-the-credits gag, which isn't worth sticking around for.)
"Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" is rated PG-13 for crude humor, including references to and sight gags about sexual and bodily functions, violence (athletic violence and slapstick), occasional use of strong profanity (including one usage of the so-called "R-rated" curse word), nude and sexually suggestive artwork, brief drug use (opium), a brief scene of torture (done for laughs) and use of ethnic slurs. Running time: 89 minutes.
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