Movie Review - Dodgeball – A True Underdog Story (2004 - United States)
A perfect comedy, with an all star cast!
Dodgeball is pitch perfect comedy, and funny beyond words! Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn have a wonderful time with the appropriately slender storyline, each working at top form and in nearly opposite comedic universes. The two styles of slapstick -- Stiller's in-your-face high emotion and Vaughn's deadpan detachment -- compliment rather than cancel each other, and the (many) pratfalls are all lovingly choreographed in the classic Vaudeville manner (meaning that while no doubt many stunt doubles and many cuts were used, that isn’t evident and it all looks seamless and utterly convincing).
Watch this very funny movie right now!
Watch the trailer:
The opposing team:
Rip Torn does a turn as the beyond-washed up dodgeball coach who saves the day, and Hank Azaria plays the character as a younger man – both are worth watching carefully for they, as well, work in very different (yet here complimentary) comedic styles. Torn populates the same over-the-top comedic universe as does Stiller, while Azaria plays it slow and sad, a hang-dog clown who matches Vaughn sigh for sigh.
More hilarious comedies to watch right now!
How stupid can comedy be and still be funny?
Personally, I feel that The Great Age of Film Drama has passed. The Great Age of Film Comedy, however, is alive and very well indeed!
Highly recommended.
Copyright Roberta Lee 2012. All rights reserved.
(I am an artist and the author of the Suburban Sprawl series of novels as well as two nonfiction books. Find out more about my work at RobertaLeeArt.com.)
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG-13 – See Full Rating
Running Time: 1 hr. 32 min.
In Theaters: Jun 18, 2004
On DVD: Dec 7, 2004
Box Office:$114.2M
Distributor:20th Century Fox
Directed By: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Written By: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Cast:
Ben Stiller - White Goodman
Vince Vaughn - Peter LaFleur
Christine Taylor - Kate Veach
Justin Long - Justin
Stephen Root - Gordon
Joel Moore - Owen
Rip Torn - Patches O'Houlihan
Alan Tudyk - Steve the Pirate
Missi Pyle - Fran
Jamal Duff - Me'Shell Jones
Gary Cole - Cotton McKnight
Jason Bateman - Pepper Brooks
Hank Azaria - Young Patches O'Houlihan
Copyright © Roberta Lee 2012. All rights reserved.