Dodgeball - A True Underdog Story (DVD 2005)

Ben Stiller's best character performance to date as the self-styled guru, performing gung-ho on info adverts, with the hilarious catchphrase 'because we're better than you; and you know it!'. This is a high point. Vaughn tries his best to appear insecure and humble - but it's against his character; it works, he can act, but you know him too well to accept his humility in the face of Stiller's overt nastiness. It seems the genre of underdog sports movie still isn't wearing thin even 10 years after Teenwolf and The Might Ducks. And Hasselhoff is becoming increasingly popular as an iconic figure - he helped bring down the Berlin Wall after all. Brilliant.

I liked this movie, it was really funny. The cast was great - the story was a tail as old of time - underdogs - but the flim showed it in a new way.
I really found steve the prirate funny - i laughed out loud
The features on this DVD are good - a wide range of extras to keep you entitained for hours.
I would suggest this flim for anybody - its great.

I have owned this movie before but lent it out and never got it back, so i needed another copy as it was just so funny.
Synopsis: Remember your childhood fears – perhaps born on your local playgrounds– of a red rubber ball hurtling towards your head? Or the sweet taste of revenge when you threw it right back at the class bully? Well, get ready to once again dodge, duck,... Remember your childhood fears – perhaps born on your local playgrounds– of a red rubber ball hurtling towards your head? Or the sweet taste of revenge when you threw it right back at the class bully? Well, get ready to once again dodge, duck, dip and dive…dodgeball is back, and this time it’s not just for the schoolyard. Dodgeball is becoming a cultural phenomenon. Adult dodgeball leagues are springing up in major cities, Vanity Fair called the game the “It Sport,” and The New York Times and Fortune recently heralded the sport’s re-emergence. So the time is ripe for a poignant motion picture that brings dignity and respect to the world of competitive dodgeball. A tale in the tradition of great films about legendary sports heroes. An emotionally stirring look at the thrills of victory and the heartbreaks of defeat. We’ll let you know when that movie is made. In the meantime, we have DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY, a film that grabs life by the ball. The story’s protagonist, Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn), is a charismatic underachiever and proprietor of a rundown gym called Average Joe’s. The facility’s clientele of decidedly less-than-“average Joes” is made up of a self-styled pirate, a scrawny nerd who dreams of impressing an unattainable cheerleader, an obsessive aficionado of obscure sports, a dim-witted young man, and a cocky know-it-all who, of course, really knows nothing. Peter’s humble gym catches the eye of White Goodman (Ben Stiller), the power-mullet-sporting, Fu-Manchu-d, egomaniacal owner of Globo Gym, a gleaming monolith of fitness. White intends to take over Average Joe’s, and Peter’s non-existent bookkeeping is making it all too easy for him. A foreclosing bank has stationed attorney Kate Veatch (Christine Taylor) inside Average Joe’s to finalize Globo’s takeover of the gym. But Peter’s boyish charms win her over and Kate joins his team of social rejects to beat the odds – and their own ineptitude – to try to save Average Joe’s. How? A showdown dodgeball competition against Globo Gym. “Finally,” says DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY producer/star Ben Stiller, with tongue planted at least a little in cheek, “there is a real dodgeball film that doesn’t pull any punches and really shows the pain and humiliation associated with having a ball slam you in the face, in front of lots of people.” Stiller’s on-screen nemesis, Vince Vaughn, sees amidst the film’s raucous comedy, a universal tale of honor. “It’s about people who don’t fit in a traditional way, who come together and find self-respect and something – their gym – worth defending. Dodgeball becomes a vehicle for them to learn some life lessons and stand up for themselves.” Honor? Life lessons? Perhaps. But one thing is certain: DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY

I admit at first I didn't expect much from this movie. I began watching with trepidation. But this is easily one of the funniest films I have seen for a long long time with genuine laugh out loud moments. So most of the humour is obvious, most of the characters are stereotypes; theres a jock, a nerd, a wannabe, an easy going guy, a honey, a wisened old trainer, and the plot itself is predictable, but none of this stops Dodgeball from being a really really enjoyable watch. I even watched the DVD extras and they were good, and there was a quote in one from one of the directors or producers that just about sums it all up 'If you find someone getting unexpectedly hit in the *privates* funny, then you'll think this movie is funny.'. Watch it.

Personally, I found Dodgeball a brilliant film (for the comedy). Despite only
having a runtime of 88 minutes, its well worth the buy/rent/watch.



******May spoil film if you haven't seen it*******






Peter (played by Vince Vaughn) is the owner of a pretty average gym. Hence the name of it: "Average Joes. When the gym is faced with being closed down unless outstanding debts are payed, money has to be made quick. The first attempts are just really for the humour. After this, this is where the bulk of the movie kicks off. All the members of the gym form a basketball team and try to win a big event (prize money $50 000, the amount of money needed.) The team then starts practice in which they become a bit better at it and more importantly, learn how to play. They then go on to there regional qualifying match which they must win. In this match they get through due to one of there opposition (a 13 year old girl) failing a drugs test. By the end of the film the team have worked their way to the final against their enemy gym who want to take over Average Joes once the debt is declared unplayed. The leader of the other gym forces Peter (the captain) to allow them to take over it whatever happens by offering him $50 000. Peter then places a bet of $50 000 on the match against huge odds. In the end, Average Joes win and earn a fortune from the bet. Which they then invest in their enemies gym (Globo-gym) and take over the buisness.














Non- destroyer of the film plot summary.

Peter is the owner of a pretty average gym. The gym gets into financial trouble and needs money quickly to get out of it. All of the members of Average Joes (the gym) form together to make a basketball team which are then put through tough training. To get out of their financial trouble, the team have to win a national tournament. I found the ending of this brilliant, a very good way to finish the film :).





Despite being a bit on the shortside, this film is well worth watching, there are so many funny moments in it. Its the kind of film that if you're bored you can watch it and not get tired of it, even if you only watched it a month ago. Its especially worth the money since you can buy it for £3 online on Asda. Although you really need to see the film if you want to understand this.

Happily, there is a lot of funny stuff in Dodgeball to make you want to see it a second time. Nice guy Peter La Fleur is the owner of a small gym that is on the verge of foreclosure unless he can come up with $50,000. Even if the mortgage payments were current, the club is so outdated that it looks more like a place where homeless people crash for the evening.

In a desperate attempt to save the gym Peter hires an accountant Kate Veatch (played by pretty lady Christine Taylor) to go over the books. The problem is that Peter hasn't looked at the books since Clinton was President so her help is to of no avail.

Things have gotten even worse because a rich spoiled brat has built a beautiful gym right next door. The brat is played to absolute hilarity by Ben Stiller who has his own unique way of impressing the ladies.

By sheer coincidence there is dodgeball tournament at Las Vegas that will pay-yep you got it, $50,000 to the 1st place team. Since Peter and his friends have virtually no talent, they bring in coach Patches O'Houlihan for training. His training includes tools of steel(literally)to ones face that will adjust them to the agony of being hit by a ball. (That part was included during the sneak preview but I laughed even harder the second time around).

Two other characters also add to the fun. Gary Cole (Office Space) and Justin Bateman from Starsky And Hutch play the sport announcers and Bateman isn't exactly rowing the boat with both oars especially after he hopes that the outcome of the game won't be affected when Vaughn's team has to forfeit.

P.S. The Surgeon General has a warning that drinking pop with a straw may be hazardous to your health if you watch the ending credits.