Kicking & Screaming

Infobox Film
name = Kicking & Screaming


caption =
director = Jesse Dylan| producer = Jimmy Miller
Judd Apatow
writer = Leo Benvenuti Steve Rudnick
narrator =
starring = Will Ferrell Robert Duvall Mike Ditka
music = Mark Isham
cinematography = Lloyd Ahern II
editing = Stuart H. Pappé Peter Teschner
distributor = Universal Pictures
released = May 13 2005
runtime = 95 min
country = United States
language = English
budget =
gross =
website = http://www.kickingandscreamingmovie.com/
amg_id = 1:305633
imdb_id = 0384642

"Kicking & Screaming" is a 2005 comedy film, directed by Jesse Dylan starring Will Ferrell. It focuses on the exploits of a boys soccer team and their new coach.

Plot

Phil Weston (Ferrell), is an average person who has had to endure his father Buck's (played by Robert Duvall) over-competitiveness throughout his childhood, an upbringing which has left permanent psychological scars. Now middle-aged, married, with a young son named Sam, Phil runs a small vitamin store, whilst Buck operates a local chain of sports stores.

Buck is manager of the Gladiators, the most successful little-league soccer team in the district. Sam is on the squad, but to his parent's annoyance his grandfather keeps him as a benchwarmer rather than playing him, a humiliation he also visited upon his son decades prior. Buck eventually transfers Sam to the Tigers, the league's worst team.

At Sam's first game with his new team their coach is absent. Rather than forfeit, Phil decides to coach the team, a position he takes up permanently. However, despite Phil's best efforts the team continues to lose repeatedly, earning him further taunts from his father. After finally winning a couple of games and Phil said that his team was going to go to the finals, Phil and Buck make a bet, if the Gladiators win then Phil would sell his store and work for Buck. If the Tigers win then Buck would hand over his most prized possession, 'The Pelé ball', a soccer ball struck by the famous player.

In desperation Phil recruits Mike Ditka (played by himself), who is Buck's neighbor. Enticed by the opportunity to beat Buck, Ditka accepts the position. Despite grueling training, the team continues to lose.

Ditka introduces Phil to two exceptionally talented Italian boys working in a local butchers. Phil succeeds in gaining their Uncle's permission for them to play for the Tigers. They have an immediate impact, scoring repeatedly. The resultant winning streak makes them serious contenders in the league.

Meanwhile Ditka also introduces Phil to coffee, which rapidly changes him from a mild-mannered caring dad, to a crazed, over-competitive coach, not dissimilar from his father, abusing kids and parents alike. The team's mantra becomes "Get the ball to the Italians", which, though effective, demoralizes his team. In the ultimate over-competitive act he benches his own son for the whole of the semi-final game. Then, Phil's wife and Sam left him when Phil was unwilling to cooperate with her and play Sam in a game.

The Tiger's make it to the final where they face the Gladiators. At half-time the score is two-one to the Gladiators. In a heart-to-heart discussion with his son Phil realizes the error of his ways. He tells his team to do exactly the opposite of what he taught them. Although the Gladiators score one more goal after half-time, they don't give up hope. Phil gives the goalie a vision test with glasses from the adults watching. With big black thick glasses the goalie catches the next goal made. From then on, Byong Sun scores one goal -- making the score two-three. After another goal, the score is tied. The team rallys and produce a spectacular team performance to win 4-3, with Sam scoring the winning goal against his uncle Bucky using a move that he practiced when his dad had benched him in the semi-finals. Honoring the bet, Buck tries to give Phil the ball, but Phil refuses. Making peace with his father, they merge their businesses, realizing there is more to life than winning.

Cast

*Will Ferrell — Phil Weston
*Robert Duvall — Buck Weston
*Mike Ditka — Himself
*Kate Walsh — Barbara Weston (Phil's wife)
*Steven Anthony Lawrence — Mark Avery
*Josh Hutcherson — Bucky Weston
*Dylan McLaughlin — Sam Weston
*Elliott Cho — Byong Sun Hogan-Jones
*David Herman — Referee
*Musetta Vander — Janice Weston
*Dallas McKinney — Connor (Goalie)
*Alex Borstein
*Phill Lewis

Critical reception

Reviews of the film are mixed; the review summary site Rotten Tomatoes gives an overall rating of 43%. [ [http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/kicking_and_screaming/ Rotten Tomatoes] ] Most reviews give credit to Will Ferrell's performance, but differ on whether this compensates for an unoriginal, predictable screenplay. [ [http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/films/kicking-and-screaming-film-review-12218.html View London review] ] [ [http://www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk/05/kickscre.htm Shadows on the Wall] ]

Awards and nominations

2005 Golden Raspberry Awards

One nomination:
* Worst Actor (Will Ferrell)

Trivia

*This marks the second movie Will Ferrell has starred in where he plays the son of a character an actor who was in "The Godfather". His father in Elf was James Caan who played Sonny Corleone , and his father in this movie was Robert Duvall, who played Tom Hagen.
*The music in the scene where Ferrell is trying out for the track team is the same music played during his gymnastics scene in "Old School".
*The long haired blonde member of the Gladiators team has 'Appatow' on his jersey, most likely in reference to executive producer Judd Apatow, except Will Ferrell refers to the boy as "fart face Jones.".
*A member of the soccer team has "Mann" on his jersey, most likely named after the executive producer Judd Apatow's wife, actress Leslie Mann.
*Elliot Cho and Will Ferrell would both later appear in Blades of Glory, although they never had a scene together.

References