The 2000s were
packed with goofy movies that I highly recommend you take the time to see if
you’re in the mood for a good laugh. Then came this movie—a film whose title
alone might make you assume it’s a dud.
I mean, who
names a movie Dodgeball? It’s a game that isn’t familiar to people outside the
USA (and I’m one of those people). That’s the main reason my friends and I
avoided it when it first came out. We didn’t watch it until the home video
release, and we finally saw it at a friend’s place. What followed was nonstop
laughter at the sheer silliness and over-the-top profanity of the film.
Everything about it screamed, “We know exactly what we’re doing!” We ended up
watching it twice in one sitting because once just wasn’t enough. Once again,
why name this movie Dodgeball?
The lead actors, Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller, gave fantastic performances that deserve recognition. The movie was also a critical success and a box office hit.
The plot centers
around two men who own gyms: Pete (Vince Vaughn) and White (Ben Stiller).
Pete is a
laid-back guy struggling to get his life together. He’s a decent person but
lacks the drive to push himself. He’s also a terrible business owner. Pete’s
gym, Average Joe’s Gymnasium, is a small, rundown place with outdated equipment
and only a handful of members.
On the other
hand, White is the arrogant owner of Globo Gym, a state-of-the-art facility
with all the bells and whistles. White is a better businessman and manager,
making his gym far more successful.
Pete’s financial
troubles come to a head when he fails to pay the mortgage on his gym. As a
result, his gym faces foreclosure, and White swoops in to buy the mortgage.
Pete now has 30 days to come up with the money or lose his gym to White.
So, where does
dodgeball come in? One of Pete’s gym members suggests entering a dodgeball
contest to raise the money needed to save the gym.
The movie is
directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, who also directed We’re the
Millers (2013), Central
Intelligence (2016), and Skyscraper
(2018).
Some weaknesses in the movie include its reliance on crude humor and slapstick, which might not appeal to everyone. The plot is predictable, and some characters are one-dimensional, more like comedic devices than fully developed people. The humor can be hit or miss, with a few jokes feeling outdated or overdone. Plus, the film doesn’t offer much depth beyond its surface-level gags and underdog story, making it feel a bit shallow at times.
Don’t let the
title fool you like it did me. If you haven’t seen Dodgeball yet, give it a
shot—you won’t regret it. And if you’ve already watched it, it’s definitely
worth revisiting for some good laughs.
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