大象传媒

Will Ferrell is on familiar ground in Semi-Pro, a sports comedy set in the lower leagues of 1970s basketball. Armed with a 'fro and an attitude, his character Jackie Moon sets out to take his little team all the way to the NBA - but they have to make fourth place in the ABA first. Woody Harrelson plays it straight as new player Monix in this fitfully funny but slow paced comedy that's one of Ferrell's weakest to date.

Semi-Pro gets off to a promising start. Volatile, childlike Jackie Moon pitches a hilarious fit in a meeting full of suits on hearing that his team might not make the NBA. A poker game with the boys also amuses, and includes an agonising round of Russian roulette with a supposedly blank gun. Wide-eyed, loud-mouthed Ferrell is best at rude, crude, physical humour and that's what we get - at first, at least.

"THERE'S NO SENSE OF EXCITEMENT"

Problem is, the story's dull, and the laughs leak away. There's no sense of excitement about the team's progress, and most of the characters are underdeveloped. ER's Maura Tierney pops up in a thankless role as Monix's ex, although her current beau's obsession with the player does lead to one funny, risque scene. Andre Benjamin also manages to eke a bit of personality out of his limited role. Semi-Pro is no disaster, but debut director Kent Alterman proves that Ferrell is better off working with the pros.

Semi-Pro is out in the UK on 29th Feb 2008.