In 2008, Will Ferrell had departed from Saturday Night Live seven years earlier, yet he had established himself as a legitimate box office attraction thanks to a series of comedy successes, including the beloved holiday film <em>Elf</em> and the critically acclaimed Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Following these hits, he pursued a series of sports-themed comedies that included Kicking and Screaming, Talladega Nights, and Blades of Glory, both of which achieved significant commercial success. Given Ferrell’s penchant for comedic explorations of sports, participating in a ’70s basketball comedy like Semi-Pro appeared to be a strategic choice, especially with a talented ensemble cast featuring Woody Harrelson. Unfortunately, the film faced harsh criticism from critics and underperformed at the box office, leaving only a minor impact on Ferrell’s otherwise flourishing career.

Will Ferrell Was At His Peak Career Moment When This Sports Comedy Underperformed

Semi-Pro placed Ferrell in the role of Jackie Moon, a soul singer who also owns, manages, and plays as the center for the Flint Michigan Tropics, an amateur basketball team competing in the American Basketball Association (ABA). When Jackie discovers that the ABA is nearing its end and that only four teams will transition into the NBA, he recruits the seasoned player Woody Harrelson’s Ed Monix, who has prior professional experience. The screenplay was crafted by Scot Armstrong, who also wrote Ferrell’s breakout film Old School, and it was directed by Kent Alterman, who had no previous directing experience either before or after this film. Notably, Alterman was also an executive producer on Ferrell’s successful film Elf.

In addition to Ferrell and Harrelson, Semi-Pro showcases a lineup of talented comedic actors, including Will Forte, David Koechner, Rob Corddry, and Andy Richter, with brief appearances from Jason Sudeikis and Kristen Wiig. Among Jackie’s teammates are André Benjamin, also known as André 3000 from the hip-hop duo OutKast, and fellow SNL alumnus Tim Meadows. Many would agree that Ferrell was at his most outrageous while portraying Jackie Moon, showcasing his comedic flair from the initial performance of Jackie’s catchy tune “Love Me Sexy,” along with numerous other gags fitting the film’s 1976 backdrop. The film largely revolved around Ferrell’s character, with the supporting cast contributing amusing moments, yet none matched the impact of characters from his previous hit, Anchorman. This discrepancy may have contributed to the film’s failure to resonate with audiences, despite being set in the vibrant world of basketball.

Why Was ‘Semi-Pro’ So Misunderstood, and What Led to Its Box Office Failure?

While it’s not uncommon for critics to express disdain for a Will Ferrell comedy, the surprising fact is that even devoted fans of Ferrell’s unique comedic style found themselves unimpressed, as evidenced by the film’s low 39% Popcorn Meter score on Rotten Tomatoes. This marked a rare misstep for Ferrell at the box office as well, with an opening weekend gross of merely $15 million and a total domestic revenue of only $33 million, a sum that Blades of Glory had managed to earn during its opening weekend alone. The underlying reason for this disconnect seems to be that audiences failed to grasp Ferrell’s intended comedic vision.

The film was intended as a tribute to one of the finest sports comedies from the 1970s, Paul Newman‘s hockey classic Slap Shot, featuring elements like on-court brawls that are more fitting for a hockey film than a basketball narrative. In reality, the movie exceeds the negative reviews it received, showcasing some of Ferrell’s most eccentric humor, yet it’s apparent that the novelty of his sports-centric comedies had worn thin by the time Semi-Pro was released. Since then, Ferrell has not ventured into the sports comedy genre again, although one could argue that the 2020 Netflix film, The Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, shares a similar comedic spirit. This film also marked a reunion between Ferrell and Wiig, with Wiig taking on a significantly larger role.

Regardless of its initial reception, Semi-Pro remains a film that continues to deliver laughter and can be favorably compared to some of Ferrell’s more celebrated sports comedies, even if its audience didn’t fully appreciate the humor at the time of its release. As time has passed, it may be worth revisiting this film, if only to appreciate Ferrell’s attempt to diverge from his typical comedic roles in sports-themed films.

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