Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

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Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber.

Starring Stephen Root, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, Justin Long.

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Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story revolves around amiable underachiever Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn), whose rundown gym, Average Joe's, is populated by a less-than-average clientele including a self-styled pirate, an ultra-obscure sports aficionado, and a pining high school nerd. It soon becomes apparent that Joe's is in financial trouble and will soon be foreclosed by attractive attorney Kate Veach (Christine Taylor) - unless Peter can cough up $50,000. Despite Average Joe's posing little threat to Globo Gym, a fitness Goliath across the street that is owned by egomaniacal White Goodman (Ben Stiller) - Goodman senses an easy acquisition and decides to take over the facility. Peter's ragtag group of regulars, however, are less than thrilled with the prospects, and mobilize a showdown, winner-takes-all Dodgeball tournament against Globo Gym. The film also features Missi Pyle, Rip Torn, Stephen Root, and Alan Tudyk. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Review: Dodgeball: A True Under ...
by MSWallack in MSWallack Blog

liked it.

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"This is a really, really stupid movie. But it is a really, really funny stupid movie. This was one of those rare comedies where the entire audience is laughing out loud for large portions of the film. I don't usually like to see comedies in the theater, but this one was worthwhile. The humor is often juvenile, but so what. It is very, very funny. " [More]

#88
by eagle795 in eagle795 Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"Rip Torn is the highlight of this Frat Pack entry as the crazy old coach. Who would have ever thought that the game we all played in grade school could be the premise of a pretty funny movie? " [More]

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
by MovieBabe in MovieBabe Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"By Tricia Olszewski Even if you spent your high-school years as a 90-pound weakling, the type to get picked last in gym and take showers in your underwear, with a little distance you should be able to recognize a universal truth: Watching someone get repeatedly whapped in the head with a ball is pretty frickin’ hilarious. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is about as sophisticated as the game it celebrates, but still “the sport of violence, exclusion, and degradation” is comic gold. Written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, creator of Reebok’s Office Linebacker commercial, Dodgeball shifts the cool-kids-vs.-geeks dynamic to the business world. Ben Stiller, with highlights and handlebar mustache, is White Goodman, overcompensating owner of Globo Gym (ad pitch: “Tired of being overweight and underattractive? It’s your fault if you don’t hate yourself enough to do something about it!”). Vince Vaughn is White’s less-than-comp ... " [More]

Ben Stiller is a great villain
by townshend88 in townshend88 Blog

loved it.

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"I loved this one. This was an extremely funny movie with really good characters. White Goodman was pretty similar to Tony Perkis. I thought White Goodman was probably one the funniest antagonists to date. This is definitely worth seeing if you want a laugh. Awesome Comedy " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

is neutral about it.

Rawson Marshall Thurber's feature-length directorial debut, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, is a success thanks to its cast and its smartly structured screenplay. Vince Vaughn, (playing a part that has Stripes-era Bill Murray written all over it) is an agreeable underachiever, Ben Stiller plays outright unlikable for the first time in a film, Stephen Root continues to show why he may be the most underappreciated comic actor working, Rip Torn steals every scene he is in, and Gary Cole does a comedic pas de deux with Jason Bateman as a pair of sports announcers that rivals (without imitating) the similar duo from Best in Show. The film keeps the audience engaged by utilizing different kinds of comedy and performers with very different styles. Like the old joke about the weather, if you don't think something in this film is funny, wait five minutes and it will change. Because Thurber has tightly structured his story on the very familiar theme of underdogs, the film can support the comedic styles of the various performers. Like a good jazz composition, the screenplay supports the various performers as they solo and challenge each other. Make no mistake, this is a very slight film, but it succeeds at the most basic level for a comedy -- it produces laughs without hitting the audience over the head. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Tags: dodgeball , underdog , competition , comedy , contest
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