Farcical sports comedy about the outer limits of rabid sports fandom stars Daniel Stern as Mike, a Boston Phys. Ed. teacher fiercely devoted to the Celtics basketball team. As our story begins, the Celtics are facing off against the Utah Jazz for the championship, before Boston Gardens is due to be demolished. One night, Mike and his tagalong pal Jimmy (Dan Aykroyd) encounter Lewis Scott (Damon Wayans), the selfish, egomaniacal star player for the Jazz, in a bar, and the three of them get just drunk enough that Mike and Jimmy are able to successfully kidnap Lewis. They figure they'll hold on to him long enough to ensure that the Celtics win, but naturally things go completely awry.
Written by Judd Apatow, based on a story by him and Colin Quinn, this does take some pretty hard and amusing digs at sports fans. Not that it's an especially witty screenplay, though; it's really the cast, who give it 100%, that make it work as well as it does. Wayans is a hoot as the sports superstar who isn't exactly lacking insight into his schmucky abductors. Stern and Aykroyd are well cast; Stern is a comedic ball of fire as always. Gail O'Grady does alright with a clichéd role as a fed up wife. Paul Guilfoyle is entertaining as a Boston cop. Christopher McDonald has some funny moments (especially "I hate my life.") as the coach of the Jazz. Darrell Hammond has a small role, while various real life basketball celebrities have cameo roles. (The cameo by a certain football star at the end is hilarious.)
Speaking personally, I didn't feel that the pacing was all that bad. At least this watchable if uninspired movie only runs about an hour and a half.
Six out of 10.
Written by Judd Apatow, based on a story by him and Colin Quinn, this does take some pretty hard and amusing digs at sports fans. Not that it's an especially witty screenplay, though; it's really the cast, who give it 100%, that make it work as well as it does. Wayans is a hoot as the sports superstar who isn't exactly lacking insight into his schmucky abductors. Stern and Aykroyd are well cast; Stern is a comedic ball of fire as always. Gail O'Grady does alright with a clichéd role as a fed up wife. Paul Guilfoyle is entertaining as a Boston cop. Christopher McDonald has some funny moments (especially "I hate my life.") as the coach of the Jazz. Darrell Hammond has a small role, while various real life basketball celebrities have cameo roles. (The cameo by a certain football star at the end is hilarious.)
Speaking personally, I didn't feel that the pacing was all that bad. At least this watchable if uninspired movie only runs about an hour and a half.
Six out of 10.