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"The Benchwarmers"
Rob Schneider.
David Spade. Comedy.
Synopsis: Two
social outcasts and an aging but accomplished baseball pitcher take
on the state’s meanest Little League teams.
Review: Much
better than I expected. Not bad for a matinee. It’s really
not for the kids, though.
When Gus (Schneider) sees some bullies picking on some kids at a
local baseball diamond, he breaks up the activity and invites Clark
(Jon Heder) and Ritchie (Spade) to play a little baseball.
Ritchie and Clark are completely inept, apparently never having
even touched a baseball bat.
The trio is confronted
by the bullies from earlier in the day, and a scrimmage ensues.
Gus is a former ball player, so he single-handedly beats the team
of little leaguers, with Ritchie and Clark providing the comedy
relief. And the comedy relief never ends. Really, a lot of this
movie is stupid, but funny.
The news gets around
to a local billionaire (and former nerd), Mel (Jon Lovitz), who
recruits the three older guys to play against all the meanest Little
League teams in the state.
And the filmmakers actually
manage to slip in an inspirational message, which is ‘amazazing’
considering the cast involved.
Everyone plays it over
the top, except for maybe Rob Schneider, who seems to be trying
to develop some acting skills.
Jon Heder is Jon Heder.
I guess you either love or hate this guy. I’m not sure if
he can act, or if he’s just really good at playing the exact
same character he did in Napoleon Dynamite.
If you’ve got an hour and a half (or laugh) to kill and don’t
mind laughing at some stupidity, this is the ticket.
OVERALL
GRADE: C+
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