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(About Our Ads) "DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY" (2004) (Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Minor *Heavy None Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy None Minor Mild Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Minor None Moderate Moderate QUICK TAKE: Comedy: To try to keep a ruthless businessman from acquiring and demolishing their small gym, a group of underdogs enters a dodgeball championship in hopes of winning enough money to pay off its debt. PLOT: White Goodman (BEN STILLER) is the buff and egocentric owner of the high tech and corporate Globo Gym who needs more parking space for his patrons. Thus, he decides to go after Average Joe's Gym, the small-time competitor across the street run by Peter La Fleur (VINCE VAUGHN). Goodman hires bank employee Kate Veatch (CHRISTINE TAYLOR) to investigate Peter's business and she informs the lackadaisical owner that if he doesn't come up with $50,000 in thirty days, Goodman will own and tear down his business. Peter's resigned to that happening, but the regulars in his gym -- including scrawny nerd Owen (JOEL DAVID MOORE), pirate wannabe Steve (ALAN TUDYK), high school cheerleader wannabe Justin (JUSTIN LONG) and the somewhat effeminate Dwight (CHRIS WILLIAMS) -- don't want to take that sitting down. Yet, only Gordon (STEPHEN ROOT) has a plan. Knowing about the winner take all Las Vegas International Dodgeball Open that just so happens to pay $50,000 to the winning team, Gordon convinces the others that it's their only hope. Eventually recruiting Kate for their team and lucking out by having legendary dodgeball champion Patches O'Houlihan (RIP TORN) offering to be their coach, they enter the tournament. Yet, White is determined not to let Peter succeed and thus fields his own team with the likes of his burly assistant, Me'Shell Jones (JAMAL E. DUFF), and feared Eastern European champion Fran (MISSI PYLE). With sportscaster Cotton McKnight (GARY COLE) and Pepper Brooks (JASON BATEMAN) calling the matches, Peter and his underdog team make their way through the opposing teams on their way to the big climatic showdown with White and his crew. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Teenage boys seem the likeliest audience, although anyone who's a fan of someone in the cast may want to see it as well. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For rude and sexual humor, and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: VINCE VAUGHN plays the lackadaisical owner of a small gym who reluctantly agrees to enter the dodgeball competition to try to save his gym from White. He drinks some, has doubts about their success and comes on to Kate. BEN STILLER plays his egocentric, corporate competition who uses profanity (some of it strong), also comes on to Kate, wants to put Peter out of business at any costs, and thus fields his own dodgeball team. CHRISTINE TAYLOR plays a bank employee first hired by White to look at Peter's books who then joins the latter's dodgeball team. RIP TORN plays the crusty and crude former dodgeball champion and current wheelchair bound coach for Peter's team who will do or say anything to make them win. He uses profanity and verbally and physically abuses others. JUSTIN LONG plays one of Peter's players, a high school cheerleader wannabe who wants to impress a girl he likes. STEPHEN ROOT plays an older nerd who comes up with the idea of them entering the competition. JOEL DAVID MOORE plays a younger nerd on the team who wants to get a date. CHRIS WILLIAMS plays a possibly gay or at least effeminate member of the team. ALAN TUDYK plays another teammate who dresses, acts and talks as if he's a pirate. MISSI PYLE plays a feared Eastern European dodgeball champion who joins White's team, but has a soft spot for Owen. JAMAL E. DUFF plays White's muscular and forbidding assistant, and team player. GARY COLE and JASON BATEMAN play the sportscasters who call the matches in rather unique ways. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while other expletives and plenty of colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue and brief song lyrics are present, as are various instances of sexually related humor (both straight and gay). Various women and men are seen in varying states of revealing attire (with close-ups of the ladies' sometimes barely covered body parts), including some S&M outfits and props, while two women passionately kiss (one proclaims she's bisexual and then kisses a guy). Comedy style violence includes people being hits by cars, wrenches and dodgeballs (with quite a few shots to crotches), while a falling sign kills a wheelchair-bound man and other physical contact occurs. Many instances of other imitative behavior are present, while various characters drink, there's brief drug use played for laughs, and there's some brief smoking. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (all played for laughs), while some viewers might not like the presentation of certain ethnic, sexual or weight-related stereotypes used for humor. Various instances of dialogue-based crude humor are present. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Peter has a beer. Peter tosses out cans of beer to his team (one opens his and is sprayed by the foam). A 1950s style, dodgeball instructional film states that the sport started in Chinese opium dens (we see several men smoking from such pipes). A miscellaneous person drinks. We hear that a girl scout was tested positive for anabolic steroids and low grade beaver tranquilizer in a drug test. Kate and members of Peter's team drink in a bar where others also drink. Peter and Kate have wine. Peter and his team have drinks, and Kate brings Gordon a virgin daiquiri. Peter has a drink and then another, while a person near him has a beer. BLOOD/GORE After being disgusted by White's advances toward her, Kate makes a face and then says that she just threw up a little in her own mouth. White then says that in some cultures that's all they eat. We see a still drawing of a severed head rather than a ball being thrown in a 1950s style, dodgeball instructional film (stating that's how the sport started). Trying to make a point about something else, Patches asks if it's necessary for him to drink his own urine and then adds something about him enjoying the taste. Seeing his players running in practice, Patches sarcastically states that he has better runs in his shorts. We see a tiny bit of blood on White's face after Kate has slammed his face into a wall. A large amount of spit is knocked from a player's mouth in slow motion when he's hit by a ball. As Me'Shell comes out of the bathroom, White comments on him having gastrointestinal problems. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Most everything that's present is played for stupid and non-realistic humor. That said: Some viewers may not like a joke being made that fatness and ugliness are genetic disorders. Some viewers might not like a sight gag about Justin being called upon in cheerleader tryouts to try and lift a very large female cheerleader. He manages to get her in the air, but she then falls on him (landing in the "69" head to crotch position) and some blubbery fat sounds are heard as she gets up. Peter calls Kate "pretty eyes" and initially treats her like a sexual object rather than a person. White is an egocentric gym owner who wants to put Peter's shop out of business and will go to any measure to make sure he succeeds. White refers to Peter's gym clients as a mongrel race. Some viewers might not like Chinese men portrayed as opium smokers or Japanese dodgeball contestants dressed in diapers (to look like Sumo wrestlers). To get back at some girl scouts who've just beaten his team, Peter yells out that the scouts are adopted and that their parents don't love them. We see a Mexican restaurant called the "Dirty Sanchez" and it shows an old style drawing of a Mexican woman with a mustache. An Eastern European woman is portrayed as masculine, with a uni-brow and bad teeth. Patches calls his male players "ladies." Seeing how Kate can throw a dodgeball, one of the guys says she has to be a lesbian and Patches says, "That dyke can play." White tells Kate that he called her bank and said that she was lying and drinking on the job (trying to get her fired so that she'll go out with him since they'd no longer be working together). Patches refers to a woman as a "lesbo." Patches says that some players looked like a "bunch of retards trying to hump a doorknob." White tries to bribe Peter to forfeit the championship game. Peter nearly sells out his team for money, but has a change of heart. A person calls Steve a "fag" and throws what appears to be a drink from a moving car that hits him. Lance Armstrong makes a comment about having brain, lung and testicular cancer (that's played for laughs and some viewers may not like that, although he did have such cancer). FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS Steve pushes Peter against the wall and holds a knife on him (while acting like a pirate doing a pirate greeting). IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*cking Chuck Norris," "Sh*t-heap," "Oh sh*t," "That guy's a d*ck-head," "P*cker slap those Globo gym bastards," "Chicks," "Loser," "A skid mark on the underpants of society," "Mongrel race," "We're screwed," "This blows," "A hell of a run," "Freaks," "Don't crap where you eat," "Holy mackerel," "You scared the jeepers out of me," "I suck" (written), "Bollocks," "Poindexter," "Let's bounce," "Worst damn display," "Suck-ass," "You're about as useful as a poopy-flavored lollipop," "Dyke" and "Lesbo" (lesbian), "Shut up," "No crying in the breast milk," "You're a crazy little man," "You guys suck," "Swine," "What the hell (is he doing)?" "Suit yourself, queer," "Get bent," "He's a total jerk," "You suck something awful," "You crazy son of a bitch," "Drain the sea monster," "Watch it, freak," "Fag," "Screw you," "Jerks," "Four eyes" (for a person wearing glasses), "Kick his ass," "Busting my butt," "La-loser," "Suck failure" and "Stick it in your ear." The film could inspire some kids to pummel other kids with balls. Steve acts like a pirate and has a tattoo on his arm. We see White with electrodes attached to his nipples. As he tempts himself with a donut, he then shocks himself. Gordon's wife makes an "L" with her fingers and holds them to her forehead (to indicate that he's a "loser"). Patches talks about "humping it into submission" and then makes a humping gesture with his hands/arms and body (said in a nonsexual context, but with sexual movement). Patches calls his male players "ladies." Trying to train his players about how to dodge dodgeballs, Patches throws large wrenches at them. One strikes Owen and knocks him to the floor (he's in pain, but it's all played for laughs). Seeing his players running in practice, Patches sarcastically states that he has better runs in his shorts. Gordon tries to run across a busy road as part of practice (to dodge cars), but ends up getting hit and flipped up by two cars (played for laughs). Trying to make Gordon angry during practice, Patches purposefully hits him in the crotch and asks, "Are you angry now?" Wanting Kate to join their dodgeball team, Peter tells Kate that it's "time to put your mouth where our balls are." White gives "the finger" to Kate and Peter as he leaves. We see some men slapping each other's bellies as a pre-game tradition. When a player no longer has a dodgeball, comments are made that he's "Ball-less" and "Doesn't have any balls." Kate wears a midriff-revealing top. A guy gives the "f-you" gesture with his hand and arms to another person. Patches says that some players looked like a "bunch of retards trying to hump a doorknob." Peter pats Me'Shell on his clothed butt several times in a congratulatory manner. Steve states that he has to "Drain the sea monster" (urinate). White does a fake handshake with Peter and then runs his hand back over his own hair. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A little bit of comedy-style dramatic music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A song repeats the lyrics, "Better if we slept together." PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word, 2 "s" words, 3 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck," "pecker" and "sea monster"), 6 hells, 4 asses (1 used with "hole"), 2 craps, 1 bollocks, 1 damn, 1 S.O.B., 3 uses of "G-damn," 2 each of "Oh God" and "Oh my God" and 1 use of "Christ" and "Sweet Jesus." SEX/NUDITY In a video promo for White's gym, we see various close-up shots of shapely young women's butts in small and tight-fitting shorts, as well as some shots of bulky male bodybuilders. Necrophilia is listed as a genetic disorder. We see an old photo of White when he was very heavy and he appears to be sitting while nude (although nothing explicit is seen). As Peter sleeps, we see and hear him saying, "That feels good" as something occurs off camera at his crotch. We then see that it's a dog with its nose/mouth there (he's clothed). A phone message states that Peter is late with returning some video rentals, two of which are apparently pornographic (one is titled "Drunken hussies" and the other starts with "Back door..."). Peter tells Owen (who can't get a date) that there's always someone for everyone. He then adds that sometimes there are two people for just one and that he calls that the jackpot. Justin is called upon in cheerleader tryouts to try and lift a very large female cheerleader. He manages to get her in the air, but she then falls on him (landing in the "69" head to crotch position). When Peter first sees Kate in his office, he says that it's not his birthday (meaning he thought she was there for him sexually). We see a full-sized statue of what are presumably naked male wrestlers in White's office. One is on top of the other (we see its bare butt) and the apparent joke is that it mostly looks like a gay sexual position. We also see a large poster on the wall that shows a male bodybuilder from just the butt down (viewed from behind) and he's wearing just some very small competition shorts. White complains about Peter sleeping with three of his trainers and then of Peter sending a strip-o-gram to him where the stripper was male. We see various close-up shots of shapely young women at a car wash in very small bikinis, with one purposefully rubbing her bikini-covered breasts in the soapy water across a windshield. We then see some of Peter's male crew across the street in very small swimsuits. They then comment that they only have one car wash client who we see a redneck who fingers his own exposed belly button while watching Justin on all fours (in a small swimsuit with his butt facing the man) washing his truck's tires. The guy makes comments like "Get in there deep, boy." One of the guys says that they could sell their blood and semen to raise money, but then adds the two wouldn't be mixed together. When he hears that Kate has arrived, White uses air to blow up the crotch area in his pants. As the two then talk, he sits on a table with his legs spread toward her and then does the same in a chair (disgusting her). He then talks about their employer/employee relationship (although she works for a separate bank) and that they shouldn't think about that unless she's into it, in which case he has some shackles in the back. He then tells her that they should mate and then quickly changes that to "date." Fran shows some cleavage. Patches talks about "humping it into submission" and then makes a humping gesture with his hands/arms and body (said in a nonsexual context, but with sexual movement). Wanting Kate to join their dodgeball team, Peter tells Kate that it's "time to put your mouth where our balls are." Me'Shell walks in on White watching some sort of pizza promotion on his computer and sees him holding a slice of pizza either at his crotch or partially down his pants. White comes on to Kate and says, "You like the freaky stuff," and then adds that he likes the naughty stuff too. He continues to make unwelcome advances toward her. Peter gives Kate a homemade back rub coupon and tells her that it could turn into a full-body one. A comment is made that Vegas is a place with happy endings, but only if you pay (a possible sexual reference). A comment is made about syphilis. A uniform mix-up leaves Peter's team with traditional S&M gear (small and studded leather outfits, collars, "ass-less chaps," a horse-like mouth bit, etc.), including one guy wearing a very small and studded jock strap type contraption and Kate in a one piece leather bustier that shows cleavage. We then see the group of intended S&M recipients (many of them middle-aged people) who are already wearing such leather outfits, etc. and showing some cleavage, etc. We see various Japanese players in large diapers. The camera focuses on various "cheerleaders" who are in tight and revealing attire as they dance on the "field." After a win, Patches tells Peter that he has hookers back in his room and that they should go celebrate (Peter declines the offer). In response, Patches replies, "Suit yourself, queer." We see the scantly clad dodgeball cheerleaders again. Peter pats Me'Shell on his clothed butt several times in a congratulatory manner (possible homosexual undertones). Fran shows cleavage. Cotton makes a comment about a ménage a trois of pain (in a game), with Pepper saying that one usually has to pay for that (meaning sexual). Moments later and comparing what he's seeing in the game to other incredible things, Cotton says that he's even seen "a grown man satisfy a camel." Fran licks Owen's face while on top of him following a victory. We see some miscellaneous cleavage. A woman comes up and she and Kate passionately kiss. A person then says they knew she was a lesbian. She then replies that she's not a lesbian, but instead is a bisexual and then proceeds to kiss Peter passionately. We see a classic style, headless statue that shows bare breasts. We see that a teen girl is pregnant (presumably from one of the players). SMOKING Peter and White (cigar) each briefly smoke once. We see a drawing of a leprechaun with a pipe in his mouth. TENSE FAMILY SCENES None. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Lesser known sports. Competitiveness. Men who make unwelcome sexual advances toward women. The way White treated others. Succeeding while being an underdog. VIOLENCE Justin is called upon in cheerleader tryouts to try and lift a very large female cheerleader. He manages to get her in the air, but she then falls on him (landing in the "69" head to crotch position). Steve pushes Peter against the wall and holds a knife on him (while acting like a pirate). We see White with electrodes attached to his nipples. As he tempts himself with a donut, he then shocks himself. A 1950s style, dodgeball instructional film shows Patches heaving a dodgeball at a young kid's face, hitting him there and knocking off his glasses. Girl scouts pummel Peter's team with dodgeballs until he blasts one of them with his. Fran throws a dodgeball that hits a man in a bar, knocking him out or killing him (one person thinks the latter is true). White makes a wide gesture, hitting a waitress and making her spill her food tray. Trying to train his players about how to dodge dodgeballs, Patches throws large wrenches at them. One strikes Owen and knocks him to the floor (he's in pain, but it's all played for laughs). We see more wrenches being thrown at and hitting more players during practice. We see players being hit on all parts of their bodies with dodgeballs during practice, including various crotch shots. Gordon tries to run across a busy road as part of practice (to dodge cars), but ends up getting hit and flipped up by two cars (played for laughs). A thrown wrench hits Steve. Trying to make Gordon angry during practice, Patches purposefully hits him in the crotch and asks, "Are you angry now?" White tries to kiss Kate but she slams his face into a wall. We see promo footage of two men hitting each other with something in some sort of "sport." We see standard dodgeball violence where players are pummeled with the dodgeballs, including various crotch shots. More dodgeball violence occurs, including a person in the stands being hit by a ball. A dodgeball hits a guy in the crotch and there's another such crotch shot. Gordon pummels opposing players with dodgeballs. A large sign falls on a man in a wheelchair, killing him (played for laughs). Peter pushes Steve back against a wall in anger. A person calls Steve a "fag" and throws what appears to be a drink from a moving car that hits him. After Kate's already out of the game and walking off the field, White purposefully throws a dodgeball that hits her on the head. White pushes a kid down to take his food. Reviewed June 15, 2004 / Posted June 18, 2004