Because they're so caught up in the moment, the game and the overall season, and due to often possessing Titanic-sized egos, coaches are often known to blow their tops and/or melt down when a play is blown, a call goes against them, or a game is lost. While such behavior can be shocking, disgusting and/or disappointing -- especially since such people are supposed to be inspirational role models to their players -- one can see the potential humor of such actions if they're viewed in a comedic setting.
Or so think the filmmakers behind "Rebound," a supposedly funny tale that's a combination of "Hoosiers," "The Bad News Bears" and star Martin Lawrence. He plays Roy McCormick, a vain and egotistical college basketball coach whose latest such meltdown results in him being suspended for life with only one slim chance of redeeming himself.
And that's by coaching a bunch of middle-school misfits who not only lose every game, but also can't even score a lone basket. Following the trend exemplified by "BNB" (which itself has been remade in this year of seemingly endless remakes) and later amplified by the likes of "Three Men and a Baby," "Daddy Care" and "The Pacifier," much of the film's comedy is supposed to stem from the pairing of a childless adult with a bunch of kids who literally and figuratively don't see eye to eye.
Along the way, he learns to be a better coach and person, while they learn to become better players and go on a hot winning streak all of the way to the championship. As they used to say on "Seinfeld," "Yada, yada, yada." There isn't anything that's new or for that matter interesting or funny in this forced film that's so formulaic its cinematic equation has to be written in stone somewhere in the sports film hall of fame.
Considering that, the film's last and only shot is that there could be something interesting or at least appealing about the characters and/or the way the various performers inhabit them. Unfortunately, that's not the case here. Appearing in his first PG-rated film, Lawrence -- he of flops such as "National Security" and "Black Knight" -- is obviously trying to tap into the same audience demographic that previously reinvigorated Eddie Murphy's movie career.
As shown in the likes of "Big Momma's House," Lawrence doesn't have Murphy's comedic chops or appealing, on-screen persona, points proven by his role here that includes, yes you guessed it, him dressing up -- like Murphy -- as another flamboyant family member. While young kids and less discerning adults might enjoy the part and the actor's constant mugging, everyone else will likely find yet another stereotypical Lawrence performance as trying at best.
Those playing the kids don't come off that way, at least to the same degree considering their relative lack of experience. Yet, there are no remarkable performances here from the likes of Oren Williams ("Clifford's Really Big Movie"), Eddy Martin (TV's "American Family"), Steven Anthony Lawrence ("Kicking & Screaming," "Cheaper by the Dozen") or Steven Christopher Parker (making his debut), although most of them do somewhat seem like the everyday geeks they portray. Tara Correa (making her feature debut) is present in something of a junior Michelle "Girlfight" Rodriguez role but it doesn't generate any laughs.
That also holds true for Breckin Meyer ("Herbie: Fully Loaded," "Garfield") and Megan Mullally ("Stealing Harvard," "Monkeybone"), while Horatio Sanz ("Road Trip," "Boat Trip") is barely present as the assistant coach, and Patrick "I Was Once on Seinfeld" Warburton ("The Dish," "Home on the Range") is stereotypically over the top as a rival coach.
Not surprisingly, the film also introduces the obligatory romantic interest subplot, but there's zero chemistry between Lawrence and co-star Wendy Raquel Robinson ("Two Can Play That Game," "Miss Congeniality"), not to mention very little actual material with which they could possibly work.
Like the coach portrayed in the film, director Steve Carr ("Daddy Day Care," "Dr. Dolittle 2") -- who works from an "original" screenplay by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore (making their collective debut) -- doesn't put much effort into the proceedings.
With nothing new we haven't seen countless times before and little to no imagination in calling the shots, Carr is simply going through the motions, apparently presuming, like the similar coach, that we'll simply fall into line and thus prove he's a success. Do they allow technical fouls to be called in sports comedies? "Rebound" might appeal to the little ones, but this misfire barely gets its leaden feet off the court. The film rates as a 3 out of 10.
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