Un allenatore in palla

I went with one of my best friends to see this with her family. Martin Lawrence kept you laughing. We literally giggled the entire time. And the her family behind us (her two brothers, 11 and 5, and cousins 7 and 10, and mom 42)...DON'T GET ME STARTED! If you enjoy a clean, funny movie for the family, this is a great one to choose. Actually, the basketball team reminded me of my own at school! (haha...we're pitiful! :S) But we really enjoyed it, and I encourage any of you that haven't seen it, it's a good one for the family. Sure, it would probably been more of a hit on Disney Channel as an Original Movie, but it kept you interested and laughing.

From the director of "Dr. Dolittle", and "Daddy Day Care", once again, true genius sparks from the filmaking of the genius of satire, parody, and downright outrageous comedy, as Steve Carr strikes again with "Rebound", the story about a crazed college coach, thrown of college basketball, gets the opportunity to go back to his roots and become the coach of the Smelters (A Middle School basketball team).

Martin Lawrence, the man who plays coach Roy McCormack, is again, the usual hysterical that he is. His witty humor and deadpan relationship with the kids are not even far between. The baskets are as funny as the game itself, as some yuppy comedy would put it, and is as good as it can get.

Tara Correa, this one's for you.

So bad it's scary flick that I suppose is pleasant enough for the youngest age groups, but the rest of us will suffer unspeakable pains sitting through this deflated dud. Martin Lawrence is a highly successful college basketball coach who has lost touch with the game and his players. A freak accident at one of his games is the last straw as he is banned from coaching the collegiate ranks and then decides to take a job at his old junior high school (being sent a fax by players without consent from administration, go figure!?). Soon the usual sports underdog story takes place with predictable and tiring results. Lawrence has been hit and miss (usually miss) in more adult-oriented flicks, but he looks like he is just trying to make a quick buck here. The kids are totally forgettable and the rest of the cast is unaccomplished and basically have no business in cinematic features. Plays like one of those Disney Network television movies. Hopelessly terrible air ball. 2 stars out of 5.

If Hollywood wants to know why theater attendance is off they need look no further than this movie. The problem is not they are making bad movies, they're simply making movies you feel ripped off for having paid ten bucks to see. Once you get over the shock that you've paid too much for what you're seeing, Rebound is actually a good little movie.

Rebound tells the story of Coach Ray, a highly paid NCAA basketball coach who ends up banned from coaching for bad behavior. With no other options open to him he ends up coaching back at his old junior high school where things take mostly predictable, but enjoyable turns. For example the team is so bad at basketball it hasn't won a game in twelve years, and is made up of the typical assortment of kids who don't know left from right, so even though you know whats going to happen but you don't mind because Lawrence and the kids are fun to watch. And while it strives and fails to be a Bad News Bears of basketball, it is an enjoyable movie on its own terms. Just wait for DVD or cable, because paying 10 bucks a head to see this will spoil your enjoyment of whats a nice funny little movie.

Too many critics seem to be expecting more from "Rebound" than it tries to offer. This movie is what it is - a simplistic, fun family movie aimed at kids - nothing more, nothing less. The filmmakers weren't trying to create "Casablanca 2" here. As a family movie, it succeeds at producing enough laughs to entertain the kids and keep adults from getting too bored.

There are certainly elements in the movie that could've been better. It's WAY too formulaic and predictable, the scores in the games before Coach Roy arrive are totally unrealistic, and quite frankly, there are several actors who would've been funnier in the role than Lawrence. But the kids are very well cast, and do a real good job with the material they're given. There are many genuinely funny bits, and Megan Mullally is an absolute hoot in her role, which was far too small.

So if you're looking for the next great cinematic classic, keep looking. But if you want a fun family movie that's suitable for the kids, check out "Rebound."