Andrew Pace
Will Ferrell is an American actor and comedian, known for his performances in sports comedies such as 'Semi-Pro', 'Talladega Nights', and 'Blades of Glory'. In 'Semi-Pro', Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon, a basketball team owner, player and coach, who is famous for the disco hit Love Me Sexy. The film is set during the final season of the American Basketball Association and tells the story of a fictional ABA team's struggle to survive the league's merger with the NBA. Ferrell's character even wrestles a bear to promote his team.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Film Name | Semi-Pro |
| Genre | Comedy, Sport |
| Year | 2008 |
| Director | Kent Alterman |
| Writer | Scot Armstrong |
| Producer | Jimmy Miller |
| Starring | Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André 3000/André Benjamin, Maura Tierney |
| Will Ferrell's Character | Jackie Moon, the owner-coach-player of the Flint Tropics |
| Rotten Tomatoes Score | 23% |
| Worldwide Gross | $43,884,904 |
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What You'll Learn
Will Ferrell's performance in Semi-Pro
Ferrell's performance has been described as him being "on top form", with one review stating that "when Will Ferrell is off the screen, the film starts to take itself too seriously and you're just wanting Will to come back on the screen and do something funny". Another review states that the "first 30 minutes of this movie is as good as Anchorman – I was laughing out loud in the cinema". However, the same review goes on to say that "after that, it goes downhill", and that "a lot more could have been made of his character".
The film also features a scene in which Ferrell's character wrestles a 7+1⁄2-foot-tall, 700-pound grizzly bear named Rocky to promote his basketball team. Randy Miller doubled for Ferrell during the wrestling match, and sadly, on April 22, 2008, seven weeks after the film's release, the bear bit and killed Randy Miller's cousin and fellow trainer, Stephan Miller.
Semi-Pro was directed by Kent Alterman and written by Scot Armstrong. It was released in 2008 and also stars Woody Harrelson, André 3000 (credited as André Benjamin), and Maura Tierney.
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Jackie Moon and the Flint Tropics
In the 2008 sports comedy film *Semi-Pro*, Will Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon, the owner, coach, and player of the fictional American Basketball Association (ABA) team, the Flint Tropics. The film is set in 1976, during the final season of the ABA and tells the story of the Flint Tropics, a failing basketball team that is desperate to survive the league's merger with the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Jackie Moon is a singer and one-hit-wonder, famous for the disco hit "Love Me Sexy", which he used the profits from to buy the Flint Tropics. The team is all but broke, and Jackie puts his energy into boosting attendance with wacky promotions, including wrestling a bear, jumping over 47 feet of ball girls on roller skates, and providing free corn dogs if the Tropics score 125 points.
The Flint Tropics are the worst team in the league and are in danger of dissolving when the ABA Commissioner announces a plan to merge with the NBA, taking only the top four teams. Thinking quickly, Jackie argues that the teams with the four best records should be merged, and the Commissioner accepts. Jackie trades the team's washing machine to the Kentucky Colonels for Ed Monix, a backup point guard and former NBA Champion. However, the Commissioner reveals that in addition to finishing in the top four, the Tropics will also need at least 2,000 fans at every remaining home game.
With Monix's training and the increased intensity of Clarence Withers, the Tropics' best player, the team goes on a winning run, moving from last to fifth place. Despite their improved performance, the NBA does not think that Flint has a large enough media market and will not allow the Tropics into the league. Jackie trades Withers to the Spurs so that he may realize his dream of playing in the NBA. Monix reassembles and inspires the team to leave everything on the court, and the Tropics finish the season in fourth place.
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The film's critical reception
Will Ferrell has starred in several sports comedy films, including the basketball-themed Semi-Pro, released in 2008. The film received generally negative reviews from critics, who described it as a "half-hearted attempt at sports satire". However, Ferrell's performance received some praise.
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval score of 23% based on 160 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10. Metacritic reported an average score of 47 out of 100, based on 29 reviews. Critics described the film as "intermittently funny" but ultimately one of Ferrell's "weaker cinematic efforts".
Alicia Chang of the Associated Press wrote that the film's opening was "lacklustre" compared to Ferrell's previous sports spoofs Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory, which enjoyed much larger box office openings. Semi-Pro made $33,479,698 domestically and $10,405,206 internationally, for a total of $43,884,904 worldwide.
Despite the poor reception, Ferrell has said that he enjoys reprising his role as Jackie Moon, the owner, head coach, starting power forward, and pre-game announcer of the Flint Tropics basketball team. In 2022, Ferrell appeared at an NBA game in character as Jackie Moon, shooting hoops with the Warriors during their pre-game warm-up.
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The bear wrestling scene
In the 2008 American sports comedy film *Semi-Pro*, Will Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon, the owner, coach, and player of the fictional American Basketball Association team, the Flint Tropics.
In one scene, Ferrell's character wrestles a bear to promote his basketball team. The scene was not filmed with Ferrell and the bear in the same vicinity. Instead, Randy Miller, Ferrell's stunt double, stood in for him during the wrestling match.
On April 22, 2008, seven weeks after *Semi-Pro* entered wide release, the bear bit and killed Stephan Miller, Randy Miller's cousin and fellow trainer, on the neck.
Ferrell expressed shock and sadness over the incident, noting that he never filmed with the bear and sending his sympathy to the Miller family.
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The soundtrack
The 2008 American sports comedy film Semi-Pro stars Will Ferrell as Jackie Moon, a one-hit wonder who buys a basketball team with the profits from his song "Love Me Sexy". The film, set in 1976, features a range of classic 70s funk hits on its soundtrack, including "Get da Funk Out Ma Face" by Brothers Johnson, and songs by LaBelle, WAR, and Curtis Mayfield. The soundtrack also includes a performance by Ferrell himself, who performs a "funky" version of "Love Me Sexy".
The film was directed by Kent Alterman and written by Scot Armstrong, with music by Nile Rodgers. It also stars Woody Harrelson, André 3000 (credited as André Benjamin), and Maura Tierney. The Semi-Pro soundtrack has been well-received by listeners, with some praising the inclusion of "oldies" and the funny, funky contribution from Ferrell himself.
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Frequently asked questions
The name of the basketball movie starring Will Ferrell is 'Semi-Pro'.
'Semi-Pro' is about a one-hit-wonder-turned-basketball-team owner who steps up to play power forward and wrestles a bear. Jackie Moon, the owner-coach-player of the American Basketball Association's Flint Michigan Tropics, rallies his teammates to make their NBA dreams come true.
Will Ferrell's character's name in 'Semi-Pro' is Jackie Moon.
