Dir.
Jesse Dylan, 2005 , US , 95mins
Cast:
Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Kate Walsh, Mike Ditka
Kicking off the summer this year is the new film Kicking and Screaming. Jesse Dylan has teamed up with writers Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick to direct another family movie with comedian actor Will Ferrell. With previous hits under their belts such as Santa Clause, Elf and American Wedding, it wasn't long before these three teamed together to create Kicking and Screaming.
Ferrell plays Phil, a gentle new-agey vitamin salesman who has never been able to beat his father, Buck, (Duvall) at anything. It is when Phil discovers that his father Buck (Duvall) has sold his grandson to the worst team in the league, the Tigers, that he decides to take on the role as their coach, and hits on the ultimate challenge; to finally beat his father at his own game.
Sweet as it is, this film leaves you wondering where you've seen it before. As with Jesse Dylan's American Wedding, Kicking & Screaming follows a familiar formula, with the script practically writing itself with annoying predictability while you are watching.
While the film concentrates on the character of Phil, the real entertainment value comes from the two Italian boys who are brought into help the football team succeed. These two boys are amazing to watch and it's actually their skills on the pitch that keeps you on your cinema seats.
With so much screen time given to Ferrell, Jesse Dylan fails to show more scenes about the team or the family bond between Phil and his family. As the moral of the story appears to be about fatherhood, there is not much evidence or time given to the father (Duvall) or the son Sam (Dylan McLaughlin) to buy into the story line.
Duvall gives a good performance as Buck but, for the actor who will never be forgotten for his great performance as the Corleone family advisor Tom Hagen in the Godfather , there seemed to be no real challenge. Duvall wasn't the only actor not to be challenged in this film - neither was Phil's wife Barbara (Kate Walsh) or son Sam (Dylan McLaughlin). Impressive as both actors were, in what could be seen as cameo roles, the film never really shows enough of them to envisage the transformation of Phil's character into a loving husband and father.
This is definitely a family film. Parents will enjoy the football technique of the Italian boys and popular cheesy songs such as 'eye of the tiger' and 'we are the champions,' while the children will be reminded of films like Ladybugs and Mighty Ducks.
Joanna Shiokka
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