Review: Kicking and Screaming

Posted by: Tom Milroy  •  May 13, 2005 @ 11:59am

Filed under: Reviews

Make no mistake, dear moviegoer, this is a Will Ferrell movie. Without him, it would be another in a long line of kids' movies hammering home a message about "it's not important if you win, as long as you have fun". That message may be a little tired, but the movie is funny and fun.

Ferrell is Phil Weston, a lousy athlete over-shadowed by his macho father buck, as played by the always-crusty Robert Duvall. Buck owns a sporting-goods store while Phil sells vitamins. When Phil's son is traded from a soccer team coached by Buck, Phil becomes his son's coach, because no one else will do it. You can see where this is going, can't you???

Of course the good guys beat the bad guys, and of course Phil sees the error of his ways after becoming a ruthless tyrant, just like his father.

I must tell you, I was impressed with legendary Chicago Bears football coach Mike Ditka, playing himself. He becomes Phil's assistant coach just to make Buck, his neighbor, angry.

As for the children, yeah, they're all right, but they don't really stand out. Will Ferrell does, and Saturday Night Live is still suffering from losing him as a cast member.

Kicking and Screaming is directed by Jesse (yes Bob is my dad) Dylan.