Semi-Pro
Encyclopedia
Semi-Pro is a 2008 American sports screwball comedy film
from New Line Cinema
. The film was directed by Kent Alterman
and stars Will Ferrell
, Woody Harrelson
, André Benjamin
and Maura Tierney
. The film was shot in Los Angeles
near Dodger Stadium
(in the gym of the Los Angeles City Fire Department Training Center), in Detroit and in Flint, Michigan
. It was released in theaters on February 29, 2008 and was released on DVD
and Blu-ray on June 3, 2008. This was the last film from New Line Cinema before its sister company Warner Bros.
took over.
single "Love Me Sexy", to buy a basketball team in the American Basketball Association
, the Flint
Tropics, becoming the owner, head Coach and starting power forward
. The ABA Commissioner announces a plan to merge the league
with the National Basketball Association
, but only four teams will move to the more established league. The Tropics, the worst team in the league, are in danger of dissolving. In response, Jackie argues that the teams with the four best records overall should be merged into the NBA. The Commissioner reluctantly accepts Jackie's offer.
Now that the Tropics have somewhat of a shot to be an NBA franchise, Jackie trades away the team's washing machine to the Kentucky Colonels
for Ed Monix, former backup point guard for the NBA Champions the Boston Celtics
. Soon, the Commissioner reveals that as well as having a top-four record, the Tropics will also need a stable fan base and have an attendance of at least 2,000 fans at every remaining home game of the season.
Jackie begins to stage extremely desperate stunts, like wrestling a bear named Dewie after a basketball game. The Tropics begin playing better with Monix, as well as the increased intensity of Clarence Withers. Monix soon takes over as offensive and defensive co-ordinator, as well as starting point guard, leaving Jackie merely the title of head Coach. Monix trains the team rigorously with a play he calls the "puke", as the players are to run it, without a ball, until they vomit.
From Monix's training, the Tropics go on a winning run, moving them up from last to fifth. Suddenly Jackie, now extremely excited about the possibilities in his grasp, gets a visit from the Commissioner. The Commissioner tells the team that the NBA does not think that Flint has a large enough media market and will not allow the Tropics into the league even if they beat the first place San Antonio Spurs
on Saturday. Distressed, Jackie admits that he stole "Love Me Sexy" from a napkin his mother wrote on three weeks before she died. Now realizing that all his assets, including the team, are basically stolen, Jackie trades Withers to the Spurs so that he may realize his dream in the NBA. Monix inspires the team to leave everything on the court as, while they may not be able to continue the franchise after this season, they have come very far and still have a lot to prove.
Going into the Spurs game, which Moon declares the "MegaBowl", the Tropics are in fifth place and with a win they would make it into fourth, although they have no chance in making it into the NBA. The game begins and the Tropics fall behind quickly. In the closing seconds of the first half, Jackie gets fouled hard by Spurs player Petrelli while going up for a shot and is injured. Withers decides he has seen enough and rushes in to the Tropics locker rooms with the rest of the team, which angers the Spurs players and Coach.
During halftime, an unconscious Jackie imagines that he is in heaven with his mother. He apologizes for stealing her song and then she gives him a weapon in order to win the final game of the franchise. Awaking in the locker room, he tells the team what they are going to do to win. Back on the court, the Tropics reveal their new weapon: the Alley-Oop
. With the return of Withers, it is very effective and he leads the charge. At first, the referee calls the play a foul, but after some persuasion by Jackie and Monix, is soon convinced that it is a legitimate score. The Tropics take advantage of this new strategy and begin coming back. After the Spurs start defending against the Alley-Oop, Monix then takes charge and calls for them to run the "Puke" with 12 seconds left and down by two points, 115-117. The play gives Jackie the ball, but he gets fouled hard again with two seconds left. Shooting granny style, Moon sinks the first basket. The second rebounds off and Monix tips it in right at the buzzer
for two points to score a victory for the Tropics.
The Coach of the Spurs offers Withers a position on the team. The now-former ABA Commissioner offers Jackie a position on the staff of the NBA Assistant Commissioner, as a marketing director. Just as Jackie is about to accept, the Commissioner is mauled by the bear Jackie wrestled with earlier.
The story seems based on the real life Oakland Oaks
who were owned by Pat Boone
and their rivalry with the San Francisco Warriors of the NBA.
named Rocky appeared in the film in a scene where Will Ferrell's character wrestles him to promote his basketball team. Stuntman and trainer Randy Miller doubled for Ferrell during the wrestling match with the bear. On April 22, 2008, the bear bit 39-year-old Stephan Miller
(Randy Miller's cousin and fellow trainer) on the neck, killing him.
reported that 21% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 155 reviews (as of August 9, 2011), although the movie also received a rating of 5/10 from the same site. Metacritic
reported the film had an average score of 63 out of 100, based on 29 reviews.
In his review for The Village Voice
, Robert Wilonsky
wrote that director Kent Alterman, "valiantly tries to tweak the formula by adding a dash more sincerity and humanity to the froth but doesn't get too adventurous. But in the end, it's comedy comfort food, something powdered poured from a box". The movie received 2 stars of a possible 4 in the conventional ratings system.
and Canada
, holding the number one position at the box office. Alicia Chang of the Associated Press described the opening as "lackluster" compared to Ferrell's previous sports spoofs Talladega Nights
, which opened with $47 million, and Blades of Glory
, which opened with $33 million. The basketball film went on to gross $33,479,698 domestically and $10,404,532 internationally, for a total of $43,884,230 worldwide.
on June 3, 2008. There is a theatrical R-Rated version DVD and Blu-ray Disc or a 2-Disc "Let's Get Sweaty" Unrated Edition DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Special features include unrated deleted scenes and more.
, WAR
, Curtis Mayfield
, Will Ferrell, among others. "Love Me Sexy" is sung by the fictional Jackie Moon (played by Will Ferrell).
Screwball comedy film
The screwball comedy is a principally American genre of comedy film that became popular during the Great Depression, originating in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s. It is characterized by fast-paced repartee, farcical situations, escapist themes, and plot lines involving...
from New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
. The film was directed by Kent Alterman
Kent Alterman
Kent Alterman is an American film director and producer. He made his directorial debut in 2008 with Semi-Pro starring Will Ferrell.-External links:...
and stars Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
, Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd...
, André Benjamin
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin , better known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being part of American hip-hop duo OutKast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi...
and Maura Tierney
Maura Tierney
Maura Therese Tierney is an American film and television actress, who is best known for her roles as Lisa Miller on NewsRadio and Abby Lockhart on the television medical drama ER.-Early life:...
. The film was shot in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
near Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
(in the gym of the Los Angeles City Fire Department Training Center), in Detroit and in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
. It was released in theaters on February 29, 2008 and was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray on June 3, 2008. This was the last film from New Line Cinema before its sister company Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
took over.
Plot
Set in 1976, Jackie Moon is a singer who has used the profits from his one hitOne-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
single "Love Me Sexy", to buy a basketball team in the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
, the Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
Tropics, becoming the owner, head Coach and starting power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
. The ABA Commissioner announces a plan to merge the league
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
with the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
, but only four teams will move to the more established league. The Tropics, the worst team in the league, are in danger of dissolving. In response, Jackie argues that the teams with the four best records overall should be merged into the NBA. The Commissioner reluctantly accepts Jackie's offer.
Now that the Tropics have somewhat of a shot to be an NBA franchise, Jackie trades away the team's washing machine to the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
for Ed Monix, former backup point guard for the NBA Champions the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. Soon, the Commissioner reveals that as well as having a top-four record, the Tropics will also need a stable fan base and have an attendance of at least 2,000 fans at every remaining home game of the season.
Jackie begins to stage extremely desperate stunts, like wrestling a bear named Dewie after a basketball game. The Tropics begin playing better with Monix, as well as the increased intensity of Clarence Withers. Monix soon takes over as offensive and defensive co-ordinator, as well as starting point guard, leaving Jackie merely the title of head Coach. Monix trains the team rigorously with a play he calls the "puke", as the players are to run it, without a ball, until they vomit.
From Monix's training, the Tropics go on a winning run, moving them up from last to fifth. Suddenly Jackie, now extremely excited about the possibilities in his grasp, gets a visit from the Commissioner. The Commissioner tells the team that the NBA does not think that Flint has a large enough media market and will not allow the Tropics into the league even if they beat the first place San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
on Saturday. Distressed, Jackie admits that he stole "Love Me Sexy" from a napkin his mother wrote on three weeks before she died. Now realizing that all his assets, including the team, are basically stolen, Jackie trades Withers to the Spurs so that he may realize his dream in the NBA. Monix inspires the team to leave everything on the court as, while they may not be able to continue the franchise after this season, they have come very far and still have a lot to prove.
Going into the Spurs game, which Moon declares the "MegaBowl", the Tropics are in fifth place and with a win they would make it into fourth, although they have no chance in making it into the NBA. The game begins and the Tropics fall behind quickly. In the closing seconds of the first half, Jackie gets fouled hard by Spurs player Petrelli while going up for a shot and is injured. Withers decides he has seen enough and rushes in to the Tropics locker rooms with the rest of the team, which angers the Spurs players and Coach.
During halftime, an unconscious Jackie imagines that he is in heaven with his mother. He apologizes for stealing her song and then she gives him a weapon in order to win the final game of the franchise. Awaking in the locker room, he tells the team what they are going to do to win. Back on the court, the Tropics reveal their new weapon: the Alley-Oop
Alley oop (basketball)
An alley-oop in basketball is an offensive play in which one player throws the ball near the basket to a teammate who jumps, catches the ball in mid air and immediately scores a basket, usually with a slam dunk...
. With the return of Withers, it is very effective and he leads the charge. At first, the referee calls the play a foul, but after some persuasion by Jackie and Monix, is soon convinced that it is a legitimate score. The Tropics take advantage of this new strategy and begin coming back. After the Spurs start defending against the Alley-Oop, Monix then takes charge and calls for them to run the "Puke" with 12 seconds left and down by two points, 115-117. The play gives Jackie the ball, but he gets fouled hard again with two seconds left. Shooting granny style, Moon sinks the first basket. The second rebounds off and Monix tips it in right at the buzzer
Buzzer
A buzzer or beeper is an audio signaling device, which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric. Typical uses of buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers and confirmation of user input such as a mouse click or keystroke....
for two points to score a victory for the Tropics.
The Coach of the Spurs offers Withers a position on the team. The now-former ABA Commissioner offers Jackie a position on the staff of the NBA Assistant Commissioner, as a marketing director. Just as Jackie is about to accept, the Commissioner is mauled by the bear Jackie wrestled with earlier.
The story seems based on the real life Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (ABA)
The Oakland Oaks were a charter member of the original American Basketball Association. Formed in February 1967 as the Oakland Americans, the team changed its name to the Oaks prior to play that fall. Playing in the ABA during the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons, the team colors were green and gold.The...
who were owned by Pat Boone
Pat Boone
Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
and their rivalry with the San Francisco Warriors of the NBA.
Cast
- Will FerrellWill FerrellJohn William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
as Jackie Moon - André BenjaminAndré 3000André Lauren Benjamin , better known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being part of American hip-hop duo OutKast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi...
as Clarence Withers / Coffee Black / Downtown "Funky Stuff" Malone / Sugar Dunkerton / "Jumping" Johnny Johnson - Woody HarrelsonWoody HarrelsonWoodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd...
as Ed Monix - Maura TierneyMaura TierneyMaura Therese Tierney is an American film and television actress, who is best known for her roles as Lisa Miller on NewsRadio and Abby Lockhart on the television medical drama ER.-Early life:...
as Lynn - Andy RichterAndy RichterPaul Andrew "Andy" Richter is an American actor, writer, comedian, and late night talk show announcer. He is best known for his role as the sidekick of Conan O'Brien on each of the host's programs: Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC, and Conan on TBS...
as Bobby Dee - Andrew DalyAndrew DalyAndrew "Andy" Daly is an American actor, comedian and writer best known for playing Principal Terrence Cutler in the HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down.-Early life:Daly was born in Mount Kisco, New York and raised in New Jersey...
as Dick Pepperfield - Will ArnettWill ArnettWilliam Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
as Lou Redwood - David KoechnerDavid KoechnerDavid Michael Koechner is an American comedian, musician, and character actor. Koechner began studying improvisational comedy in Chicago at the ImprovOlympic, under the teachings of Del Close, before joining the Second City Northwest...
as Alan Ault, the ABA Commissioner - Rob CorddryRob CorddryRobert William "Rob" Corddry is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his work as a former correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and for his starring role in the comedy film Hot Tub Time Machine...
as Kyle - Matt Walsh as Father Pat
- Patti LaBellePatti LaBellePatricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
as Jackie's Mom - Tim Meadows as Cornelius Banks
- Jackie Earle HaleyJackie Earle HaleyJackie Earle Haley is an American film actor. Establishing himself from child actor to adult Academy Award-nominee, he is perhaps best known for his roles as Moocher in Breaking Away, Kelly Leak in The Bad News Bears, pedophile Ronnie McGorvey in Little Children, the vigilante Rorschach in...
as Dukes - Kristen WiigKristen WiigKristen Carroll Wiig is an American film and television actress who currently appears as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Wiig was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings, and has appeared in several films and television series, including Bridesmaids, MacGruber, Flight of...
as Bear Trainer Girl - Jay Phillips as Scootsie Double Day
- Josh BraatenJosh BraatenJosh Braaten is an American actor. He grew up in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota and graduated from Blooming Prairie High in 1995...
as Twiggy Munson - Peter CornellPeter CornellPeter Vasilevich Cornell is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays with the pro club Hitachi SunRockers. He is also an actor, who has been in over 40 national and international commercial campaigns and a few basketball themed movies...
as Vakidis - Ian RobertsIan Roberts (actor)Ian Michael Roberts is an American actor, comedian and writer best known as a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe.-Life and career:...
as Spurs Coach - Phil HendriePhil HendriePhilip Stephen Hendrie is an American radio personality. He is best known as the host of The Phil Hendrie Show, a comedy talk radio program that is syndicated throughout North America on Talk Radio Network...
as Nets Coach - DeRay DavisDeRay DavisDeRay Davis is an American stand-up comedian and actor. DeRay began his career in the comedy clubs. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, He won the Comedy Central Laugh Riots Competition and was a standout on the Cedric the Entertainer Tour...
as Bee Bee Ellis - Pat KilbanePat KilbanePatrick F. "Pat" Kilbane is an American comic actor. He first appeared in a 1996 episode ofSeinfeld , in which he played Feldman, Bizarro Kramer. Kilbane appeared for several seasons on MADtv, most notably the spokesperson for MADtv's fictitious company, Spishak...
as Petrelli - Ellia EnglishEllia EnglishEllia English is an American singer, stage and film actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Aunt Helen on The Jamie Foxx Show. English was featured in a central role in the show, and was paired onscreen with Garrett Morris, who plays her husband Junior King.-Background:English was born...
as Ms. Quincy, Clarence's mother - Ed HelmsEd HelmsEdward Paul "Ed" Helms is an American actor and comedian known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as Andy Bernard on the US version of the sitcom/mockumentary The Office and for his role as Dr. Stu Price in The Hangover films.- Early life :Helms was born and raised...
as Turtleneck reporter - Brian Huskey as White Pants reporter
- Collette WolfeCollette WolfeCollette Wolfe is an American actress. She made her film debut with The Foot Fist Way in 2006, and later starred as Nell in Observe and Report . In September 2009, Wolfe was cast as series regular Jill in the NBC situation comedy 100 Questions. She currently has a recurring role as Kirsten in the...
as Melinda the Ball Girl - Erinn Selkis as Ball Girl
- Artis GilmoreArtis GilmoreArtis Gilmore is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association...
as Restaurant customer - George GervinGeorge GervinGeorge "The Iceman" Gervin is a retired American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls...
as Restaurant customer - Jason SudeikisJason SudeikisDaniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
as Danny - Kate Luyben as Staci Moon (uncredited)
- Grayson BoucherGrayson BoucherGrayson The Professor Boucher is an American Streetball player. He is most known for playing on the highly stylized, international AND1 Mixtape Tour; he has also appeared in several movies...
as Spirits Player #31 / Spurs Player #22 (uncredited) - Arne StarrArne StarrArne Starr is a long time comic book artist and illustrator who has segued into the world of Hollywood over the last few years.-Training:Trained as an illustrator at the NY-Phoenix Schools of Design, a division of Pratt Institute, he graduated second in class in magazine and book illustration...
as NY Nets On-Air Announcer (uncredited) - Jerry MinorJerry MinorJerry C. Minor is an American actor, comedian and writer known for his comedic roles in numerous television programs such as Mr. Show, Saturday Night Live, Delocated, Crossballs, Carpoolers and Lucky Louie....
as Paul the DJ (uncredited) - Tiffany MichelleTiffany MichelleTiffany Michelle is an American poker player and actress, born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.Michelle gained fame when she was the last woman remaining out of 6,844 players in the 2008 World Series of Poker Championship Event, making $334,534 for her 17th place finish...
as Sarah (uncredited)
Dewie the Bear
The 5-year-old, 7+1/2 ft, 700 pounds (317.5 kg) male grizzly bearGrizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
named Rocky appeared in the film in a scene where Will Ferrell's character wrestles him to promote his basketball team. Stuntman and trainer Randy Miller doubled for Ferrell during the wrestling match with the bear. On April 22, 2008, the bear bit 39-year-old Stephan Miller
Stephan Miller
Stephan K. Miller was an American animal trainer, wrangler and stunt double. Along with his cousin Randy Miller, Stephan was a trainer at Predators in Action, an animal training facility that trains wild and exotic animals for film and television appearances...
(Randy Miller's cousin and fellow trainer) on the neck, killing him.
Marketing
- A number shown in the teaser trailer 1-800-TROPICS, when called played a recorded message of Jackie Moon talking about season ticket packages for the 1976 season
- Several ads for Anheuser-BuschAnheuser-BuschAnheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
were filmed featuring Will Ferrell in character as Jackie Moon that were aired during Super Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
. Some of the ads touted humorous promotional items with offers expiring in November 1977. - A music videoMusic videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was released with Jackie Moon singing his 'hit' "Love Me Sexy" - A prescreening at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TexasAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
two weeks prior to the box office debut featured an appearance by Will Ferrell and director Kent Alterman. In order to obtain entrance to the theater, all viewers had to wear a basketball uniform similar to the one worn by Ferrell in the film. - An official Jackie Moon Semi-Pro costume was released in summer 2008 for Halloween.
- A Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
swimsuit issue spread featured Ferrell with Heidi KlumHeidi KlumHeidi Samuel , better known by her birth name Heidi Klum, is a German model, actress, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, television producer, and occasional singer. In 2008 she became an American citizen while maintaining her native German citizenship...
.
Critical reception
The film received poor reviews from critics. The review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 21% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 155 reviews (as of August 9, 2011), although the movie also received a rating of 5/10 from the same site. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reported the film had an average score of 63 out of 100, based on 29 reviews.
In his review for The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, Robert Wilonsky
Robert Wilonsky
Robert Elliott Wilonsky is an American journalist and the former host of Higher Definition, an interview program on the cable television network HDNet.-Early life:Wilonsky was born in Dallas, Texas to Margaret and Herschel Wilonsky...
wrote that director Kent Alterman, "valiantly tries to tweak the formula by adding a dash more sincerity and humanity to the froth but doesn't get too adventurous. But in the end, it's comedy comfort food, something powdered poured from a box". The movie received 2 stars of a possible 4 in the conventional ratings system.
Box office performance
In its opening weekend, the film grossed $15 million in 3,121 theaters in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, holding the number one position at the box office. Alicia Chang of the Associated Press described the opening as "lackluster" compared to Ferrell's previous sports spoofs Talladega Nights
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a 2006 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film also features John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, Gary Cole, Jane Lynch, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Various Saturday Night Live alumni also...
, which opened with $47 million, and Blades of Glory
Blades of Glory
Blades of Glory is a 2007 American comedy film directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, and starring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder. The movie was released on March 29, 2007 by DreamWorks and MTV Films...
, which opened with $33 million. The basketball film went on to gross $33,479,698 domestically and $10,404,532 internationally, for a total of $43,884,230 worldwide.
Home Media
The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray DiscBlu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on June 3, 2008. There is a theatrical R-Rated version DVD and Blu-ray Disc or a 2-Disc "Let's Get Sweaty" Unrated Edition DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Special features include unrated deleted scenes and more.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for the film was released on February 26, 2008 and featured songs by LabelleLabelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
, WAR
War (band)
War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
, Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
, Will Ferrell, among others. "Love Me Sexy" is sung by the fictional Jackie Moon (played by Will Ferrell).
- "Love Me Sexy" – Will FerrellWill FerrellJohn William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
- "Get Da Funk Out Ma' Face" – Brothers JohnsonBrothers JohnsonThe Brothers Johnson is a band consisting of American musicians and brothers George aka 'Lightnin' Licks' and Louis E. Johnson aka 'Thunder Thumbs'.-Formation:...
- "Lady MarmaladeLady Marmalade"Lady Marmalade" was also covered by Italian pop star Sabrina. It was released in 1987 as the album's second single by Baby Records. In some countries, including France and the Netherlands, the song was known as "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? " and was released in 1988.-Track listings:7" maxi#...
" – LabelleLabelleLabelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing... - "The World Is a GhettoThe World Is a GhettoThe World Is a Ghetto is the fifth album by the band War, released in late 1972 on United Artists Records.-Reception:The album attained the number one spot on Billboard, and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973...
" – WARWar (band)War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae... - "Tell Me Something GoodTell Me Something Good"Tell Me Something Good" is a song by Rufus and Chaka Khan, released in 1974. It was a big hit peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, though it didn't chart in the United Kingdom. Written by Stevie Wonder, the song is among the earliest hits to use the guitar talk box. The single...
" – Ronnie LawsRonnie LawsRonald Wayne "Ronnie" Laws is an American jazz, blues and funk saxophonist. He is the younger brother of jazz flautist Hubert Laws.-Biography:... - "Mr. Big StuffMr. Big Stuff"Mr. Big Stuff" is a song by R&B singer Jean Knight. Released from her 1971 debut album of the same title, it became a huge crossover hit. The song spent five weeks at number-one on Billboard's Best Selling Soul Singles and peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. "Mr. Big Stuff" would...
" – Jean KnightJean KnightJean Knight is an African-American soul/R&B/funk singer, best known for her 1971 Stax Records hit single, "Mr. Big Stuff".-Early years:... - "Give Me Just a Little More TimeGive Me Just a Little More Time"Give Me Just a Little More Time" is the debut single for Chairmen of the Board, released in 1970 through Capitol Records on Holland–Dozier–Holland's Invictus Records label....
" – Chairmen of the Board - "Why Can't We Be FriendsWhy Can't We be Friends (song)"Why Can't We Be Friends?" is a song by the band War. The song has a simple structure, with the phrase "Why can't we be friends?" being sung four times after each two-line verse amounting to over forty times in under four minutes. It was played in space when NASA beamed it to the linking of Soviet...
" – WARWar (band)War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae... - "Walking in RhythmWalking in Rhythm"Walking in Rhythm" is a smooth rhythm and blues & jazz song by The Blackbyrds. The song tells the tale of a man who is passionately desperate to get back home to his female companion. The song charted in March 1975 and reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. The tune was similarly well...
" – The BlackbyrdsThe BlackbyrdsThe Blackbyrds were an American rhythm and blues and jazz-funk fusion group, formed in Washington, D.C. in 1973.-History:The group was inspired by trumpeter Donald Byrd and featured some of his Howard University students: Kevin Toney , Keith Killgo , Joe Hall , Allan C. Barnes , and Barney Perry... - "Dance to the MusicDance to the MusicDance to the Music can refer to one of the following:*Dance to the Music , a 1968 album by Sly & the Family Stone**"Dance to the Music ", a 1968 hit single from said album....
" – Sly & The Family StoneSly & the Family StoneSly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music... - "Love RollercoasterLove Rollercoaster"Love Rollercoaster" is a song by American funk/R&B band The Ohio Players, originally featured on their 1975 album Honey. The song was a hit upon its initial release, reaching the top of both the R&B and pop charts. It still sees wide airplay on classic funk and R&B stations...
" – Ohio PlayersOhio PlayersThe Ohio Players were an American funk and R&B band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their double #1 hit songs "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster".- Biography :... - "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" – Sly & The Family StoneSly & the Family StoneSly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music...
- "Move on UpMove On Up"Move on Up" is a song by Curtis Mayfield from his 1970 debut album Curtis. In 1971, the song spent ten weeks in the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart, but it did not chart in the United States. In 2001 Bran Van 3000 recorded "Astounded", which featured Curtis Mayfield singing the lyrics of "Move on Up"...
" – Curtis MayfieldCurtis MayfieldCurtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly... - "Shining Star" – Earth, Wind, & Fire