Will Ferrell Semi Pro Dvd

He’s not untouchable but there’s something about Will Ferrell that makes you forget that Semi-Pro is his fourth sports film in as many years. However, it’s all too clear now that he needs to close this chapter in his career because Semi-Pro is the one that confirms his shtick as the big, lovable, not always athletic dufus is past its prime and needs to be retired. Always one to add flair to a loser, Semi-Pro finds Ferrell as Jackie Moon, a one-hit disco wonder who moonlights as a player on his ABA team the Flint Tropics. Shallow, crass and unaware of his fading greatness, Moon tries to save his team from folding when it’s announced the league will be shut down, and only the four best teams will be absorbed into the NBA. He desperately trades a washer for Monix (Woody Harrelson) and rallies his team (which includes OutKast’s Andre "3000” Benjamin) to try to make the cut. Well, little hilarity ensues, although not without trying way too hard, and the Tropics find themselves flopping despite publicity stunts like Jackie wrestling a bear at a pre-game event to get support. The biggest problem with Semi-Pro is that it just isn’t funny. Ferrell’s witless playboy is an act we’ve seen once too often and even he can’t add his usual charm to an awful script, although most of the time it feels like he’s just phoning in his performance. And it’s too bad because I enjoyed the ABA nod and the production design’s authentically campy look. A definitely brick for Ferrell and everyone involved. A deleted intro by slick retro announcer Dick Pepperfield should have made the cut, as should have a cameo by Amy Sedaris, who perfects the heckling fan that gets under Monix’s skin. However, an epilogue works nicely, updating the lives of everyone, though if left in the film it would have been a tired cliché. A number of interview outtakes with Jackie and Dick encapsulate everything wrong about this film, proving Ferrell can’t always rely on his improv chops. However, a brief history on the ABA, which according to writer Scot Armstrong was "an actual league that existed in the ’70s” (thanks), is a valuable bonus, shining a light on an overlooked yet crucial period for basketball (dunking, three-pointers, alley oops) with player interviews and vintage footage. Another featurette shows the training camp set up to get extras in shape to re-enact the NBA of yore, which included good hair, no tattoos and leaner bodies, while the magic behind Moon’s hit single "Love Me Sexy” is revealed, complete with studio footage, as well as an interview with the song’s producer, the one and only Nile Rodgers. Plus: featurettes.