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In Kicking & Screaming, Will Ferrell plays Phil Weston, a mild-mannered vitamin salesman who’s always lived in the shadow of his self-centered, ultra-competitive father, Buck (Robert Duvall). Buck, a sporting goods store owner and championship-winning neighborhood soccer coach, decides that Phil’s son, Sam (Dylan McLaughlin), isn’t good enough to play on his soccer team, so he trades him to the Tigers, the worst team in the league. At their first game, the Tigers’ coach goes missing, and Phil agrees to fill in for a game. Spurred on by his father’s taunting, however, Phil agrees to take over permanently—and he decides to turn the team around. But he can’t do it on his own. With the help of his assistant coach (who also happens to be Buck’s next-door neighbor and arch-nemesis), Mike Ditka, Phil changes from a quiet, encouraging coach who throws pizza parties and gives out birds to his players as gifts to a caffeine-addicted, stressed-out Soccer Dad, who’s willing to break clavicles if that’s what it takes to win. And thanks to the team’s secret weapons, two Italian kids who barely speak English, the Tigers could just find their way into the finals…
Kicking & Screaming is your typical family movie (or, at least, as typical as you can get with Will Ferrell starring). And while some of you might see that as a good thing (after all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it), I found it disappointing. There isn’t anything new or especially exciting about this movie. It’s just the same old thing. The plot is totally predictable and pretty much cliché. On top of that, Will Ferrell’s character is never really a lovable (or even likeable) guy. In the beginning of the movie, he’s weak and whiny—and the movie itself moves really slowly. Then, as Phil begins to transform, he’s obnoxious and over-the-top. There’s just no middle ground. Either this isn’t one of Will Ferrell’s best or I’m just getting tired of his style.
That said, though, you’ll definitely get a few laughs out of Kicking & Screaming—and the kids (especially the soccer-playing ones) will enjoy it. And I’ll admit that I could relate—just the slightest bit—to the outrageous scenes with a caffeine-addicted Phil in the coffee shop. But there’s nothing special about the story, nor is there anything extraordinary about the humor. In general, if you’ve seen one family movie, you’ve seen this one. So if you enjoy watching the same old family movie, add this one to the rotation. But if you’re looking for a family movie that’s different, steer clear.
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