KICKING AND SCREAMING

US, 2005, 95 minutes, Colour.
Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Mike Ditka, Kate Walsh, Dylan Mc Lachlan.
Directed by Jesse Dillon.

(As an initial aside, Jesse Dylan, music video director and director of American Pie 3: The Wedding, is the son of Bob Dylan – not sure if his father would really want to rush out and see his son’s movies!)

The plot is practially The Bad News Bears, The Mighty Ducks etc all over again, except that this time the coach is as inept as the rag-tag team we know are eventually going to win the competition! It’s just a matter of watching to see how the victory is accomplished.

Along the way, there are the usual crises, training sequences, gradual success and the final showdown. Where Kicking and Screaming is a little different is that the sport here is soccer, not the usual sport for an American film. Another difference is that Will Ferrell is a gawky adult, who was an accident prone child, the despair of his sporting goods store owner and coach supreme, played in his genially gruff style by Robert Duvall.

There are loads of pratfalls, barbed father and son conversations and some one-liners. Real-life coach Mike Ditka portrays the next door neighbour whose mission in life is to upset Duvall and who takes on assisting the team to thwart his neighbour. Ditka comes across as a good character actor.

The subject matter is fairly limiting in its audience appeal. The treatment is conventional at best – and often seems somewhat lame. Which means that its drawing appeal is probably to boys, 8 to 12 say, who are not really good at sports but would like to be – and to their fathers who want to re-live sports years through their sons.

1. The popularity of films about sport? About underdog teams? Their training, spirit and victories? This film as a variation on the theme?

2. Suburban US, homes, sports fields, schools – audiences identifying with ordinary life? Heightened for the sake of comedy? The musical score?

3. Phil and his growing up, his voice-over comments, his being weak and puny, his being accident-prone, his father’s exasperation with him? His attempts at sport? His growing up, at college, still being awkward at sport? His encounter with Barbara, marrying her? His own son?

4. The character of Phil, Will Ferrell’s screen presence, comedy style, deadpan, one-liners? His relationship with Buck? The tension? His father always criticising him? His still being accident-prone and his father correcting him? His love for his wife, love for his son? His not wanting to work for his father? Selling vitamins? His going to the sports practice, the absent coach, the other parents, his volunteering? His motivation? His encounter with the kids, their disregard for him? His father transferring Sam to the Tigers? Sam’s expectations? His attempts at training? The kids’ awkwardness? His encounters with Mike Ditka, Mike and his antagonising Buck? Phil inviting him to be the coach? Their working together? The gradual improvement, the techniques? The Italian boys, his going to the shop, the issue of meat first? The boys, their skills? The season, the gradual victories, the Italians and their terrifying the others? Phil and his being caught up, neglecting Sam, Barbara’s criticisms? His vying with his father? The build-up of the season, the clash with Mike and letting him go? His becoming more and more obsessed, more like his father? Sitting Sam on the bench as his father had sat him? The coffee sequences, the humour, his not drinking, Mike challenging him, his continued drinking, going to the shop, becoming an addict, screaming in the queue, being ousted? His becoming an expert? His becoming dependent? The first half, the Italian boys not there? The defeat? His coming to his senses, his apology to Sam, the change of heart at half-time, playing the team – and Sam’s final victory and kick? The celebration, going into partnership with his father – the TV ads?

5. Buck, Robert Duvall’s style, his being an expert at everything, sport, selling sports goods, the comedy of his commercials and watching them with Phil, his acting classes? Transferring Sam, the team? Continually correcting Phil? The irony of Phil coaching, the antagonism with Buck? Buck’s over-confidence? Mike Ditka and the putting the grass over the fence? Antagonism? The build-up to the end of the season, the final match, his team, the irony of them losing – but his graciousness in congratulating Sam? The final barbecue, celebration, the commercials with father and son working together?

6. The boys, Sam, awkward like his father, neglected, being affirmed by his father, then sat on the bench? The training, the final match, the final goal? The contrast with Bucky, fostered by his father, encouraged, Sam outmanoeuvring him in the end?

7. Barbara, her love for Phil, supporting him, criticising him when necessary? Her love for her son? The contrast with Janice, young, marrying Buck, Bucky and the same age as Sam? Her being in the background?

8. The other parents, jobs or not, coming to the matches, not coaching? The mothers, the lesbian couple? Their support of the children? The picture of the children, the little Japanese boy, the big boy – and his powerful kick? The goalie and his needing glasses? The other members of the team? The Italian boys, the shop, their work, their skills?

9. The American spirit, the portrayal of soccer – unusual for an American film? Sport and its place, parents and sport, fathers and sport, coaches? The underdogs winning? The symbolism