Kicking & Screaming

I liked this movie. Sometimes a 'simple' movie can be colourful enough, and entertaining enough, without having to be great or artsy. 'Kicking and Screaming' was very formulaic. I actually found myself predicting each step and outcome as the plot unfolded--- the adult abused child, his dad, and his son, and the three generations colliding. The re-play of the overbearing father thing, the adult man vowing to never be like his father, but then getting accidentally caught up in the same dynamic himself. then the sports movie redemption, etc., etc.

It sounds like a cliché, and it is--- but, oddly, I found myself more surprised than annoyed as each cliché denouement surfaced. I kept thinking, as the cliché loomed--- 'Nahhhh... they wouldn't do that. There must be some slick tricky twist coming up.' Nope. No twists, no tricks--- all the clichés play through exactly like you expected them to. But there was a certain courage and honesty about that, which I greatly admired. They had a simple, straight-forward, no-nonsense formula story, which they played out exactly as that. It was very honest.

Robert Duvall--- always great. Will Ferrell, always funny. Mike Ditka, as an actor--- he's a great football coach.

Watching this film made me remember when Mike Ditka was on the sidelines shouting and swearing off his own players when they didn't meet his demands. Will Farrel's performance was wacky and funny considering the fact he was competing against his dad (Robert Duvall in a nice spot). Anyone who likes soccer will find this film entertaining for a change along with Bend it Like Beckham. The kids on all the teams did their best on and off the field. If there would of been better props, we could say this movie could equal Little Giants(1994), another good comic sports film.Between a one two ten, I give a seven and a half thanks to the director's effort to bring in Mike Ditka to help out.

I saw the previews and thought this looked like a good movie. I've been a Will Ferrell fan since his SNL days and thought 'Anchorman' was awesome. Then I saw the clip on Conan and decided I was going to see it.

"Kicking and Screaming" is a movie about Phil Weston (Will Ferrell) whose son plays on his father's (Robert Duvall) soccer team, the Gladiators. Phil's father trades Phil's son to the Tigers, a losing team. Phil then takes up coaching the Tigers.

This was a good movie and provided more laughs than I thought there would be. I recommend it with 8 out of 10.

Kicking and Screaming was decent. Will Ferrel plays the son of a dad who WILL NOT lose to ANYONE (Robert Duvall). He takes over coaching his son's Little League soccer team and goes nuts trying to win at all costs.

Kicking & Screaming seemed like it wanted to be the Anchorman of kid's movies, but it just lost me. There were some really funny parts, one involving the team needing to help out at the Italian kids family butcher shop, but overall, it just tried to hard to be a quirky movie that adults and kids would enjoy.

All in all, not Will Ferrel's best movie, but definitely not horrible. A good saterday night rental.

Has Hollywood finally come to realize that families need films they can go to again? I hope so, and with luck films like Kicking and Screaming will help open that door. This is a movie for kids, but also for adults. Will Ferrell is one of the few SNL members who have beaten the curse of the show. His career is actually doing pretty good. From Elf to Anchorman, his roles have been strong and easy to watch. Much like Elf, this family film can be enjoyed by adults as well as children. As Phil, the son of Buck Weston, who sees all competition as nothing more then another conquest and will do just about anything to win all the time. When he coaches a kid's soccer team, Buck actually trades his grandson Sam to another team because he thinks the kid is a lousy player. Phil becomes the other teams coach, but upon realizing he is in way over his head he recruits his dads neighbor and enemy Mike Ditka to help him coach the team. With the help of two Italian ringers, the team starts the crawl up from the lowest rank to the finals and then to the championships. During this climb, Phil comes to realize that in many ways he is just life his dad and sees what he is turning himself and his son into. Folks, it is a family film. There is no nudity, and the worst of the language is "Hell". The closest it comes to sex is a few hits in the groin by various objects. It is the sort of film that tries to tell a lesson in how we look at others and ourselves. Yes, the film is filled with humor, such as when Phil discovers coffee and develops an addiction to caffeine. Watching him as he is banned from the coffee shop is laugh out loud funny. And seeing him as he tries to win a tetherball game against his father will crack a smile now and then as well. No, this is not "Gone with the Wind" nor is it supposed to be. It is just what it is, a funny film about a man who is trying to be a good father and finally understands what that can mean. Mike Ditka is the best thing about the film to be honest. He steals the show with his own personality coming out in the movie. He tends to misspeak or mispronounce names is funny, even when it is expected. "Bing Bong" is a winner, no matter what you do. The film is just fun, and that is all it is supposed to be. It is not supposed to be something you go to expecting a change in your life, but if you are lucky you might learn something.