Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story 2004

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: No more a good movie than dodgeball is a sport. But compared to other recent dumb-on-purpose comedies, it's something close to clever. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: Vaughn is stuck playing the straight man to a collection of stooges, and he looks utterly bored doing it. Read more

Erik Lundegaard, Seattle Times: Did that movie just wink at me? I think it did. But I'm not quite sure. Read more

Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune: Once you get beyond nostalgia for dodging red balls whipped at your head, there's little here. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: Yes, the movie's watchable, and there are about six good laughs in it, but six good (not great) laughs in 90 minutes is pretty paltry for a comedy. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: ... a hilariously worthy successor to the great goofball comedies of the late Seventies and early Eighties, movies like Caddyshack and Meatballs. Read more

Bob Townsend, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A comedy so brainless it's actually kind of brilliant. Read more

Bill Muller, Arizona Republic: Entertaining, in the way that encourages maximum brain disengagement. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: Rambunctious when it finally gets to Las Vegas, where the championships are held and broadcast on not-real-yet ESPN 8 -- 'the Ocho.' Read more

Manohla Dargis, Los Angeles Times: It's not the end of American cinema, but it may signal either the end of Ben Stiller's ambitions or the launch of a vendetta against his fans. Read more

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle: This lame sports comedy is deflated by cliches, from a save-the-farm plot to sadism disguised as slapstick. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: More often than not, DodgeBall slings its visual and verbal humor with rapid-fire, spot-on aim without fouling. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Direct hit! Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: Feels far too smug about its underachievement to be a persuasive nerd movie: This is more a film by Hollywood frat boys slumming for some quick summer money. Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: The main plot is predictable all the way, but the incidentals are clever. Read more

Robert Abele, L.A. Weekly: Thurber loads up on plenty of tired, male-identified, low-comedy standbys, including homosexual panic, fat girls and racial caricatures. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: Shtick that aims for an Airplane- style sense of anarchy but instead hits every below- the-belt spot imaginable. Read more

Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger: While it doesn't have enough heart to put it in league with the all-time great sports comedies, the film certainly ranks among the more quotable ones. Read more

Jack Mathews, New York Daily News: [Stiller] creates a perfect storm of body, facial and vocal expression for every line of dialogue, and you have to admire his co-players for merely maintaining their balance against the bluster. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: Ben Stiller plays a pumped-up fitness guru in a consistently funny sports spoof that unapologetically roots for the uber-nerds. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: Too many of [Thurber's] gags rely on easy grunge humor or stunt casting, or simply misfire. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Offers about 90 minutes of laughter (although the movie runs out of steam during its final third). Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Globo is owned by Ben Stiller, overacting to the point of apoplexy as White Goodman; his manic performance is consistently funny. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com: The movie doesn't just pussyfoot around conventionality -- it hits it square in the stomach and then leaps around shamelessly in a smug victory dance. Read more

David Edelstein, Slate: Just watching grown-ups get bombarded by rubber balls, you know? Makes me feel 12 again. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Bounces along with a dumb, energetic oomph. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: Eventually falls prey to its own stupidity (including far too many homophobic jokes), and to a surprisingly lacklustre performance by Vince Vaughn. Read more

Mike Clark, USA Today: From the same generic mind-set that could just as easily have given us Major League: Concession Stand comes what seems like the 11th Ben Stiller comedy this year. Read more

Joe Leydon, Variety: Gleefully commingles slapstick and scatology, satire and sentiment, in a free-wheeling farce aimed at making auds laugh until they're thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Read more

Ed Park, Village Voice: The most satisfying comedy of the past year -- at least among the ones starring Stiller. Read more

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: Modestly amusing teen summer comedy. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Thurber makes you forget convention and enjoy a genuine yukfest, full of down-and-dirty (but funny) gags and one-liners, and memorable scenes. Read more