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Will Ferrell, born John William Ferrell, is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Ferrell was captain of his high school basketball team and went on to star in the 2008 sports comedy film *Semi-Pro*, which is set during the final season of the American Basketball Association. In the film, Ferrell's character owns, coaches, and plays for a fictional ABA team that is desperate to survive the league's merger with the NBA.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Film Name | Semi-Pro |
| Genre | Sports Comedy |
| Year | 2008 |
| Director | Kent Alterman |
| Writer | Scot Armstrong |
| Producer | Jimmy Miller |
| Starring | Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André 3000/André Benjamin, Maura Tierney |
| Setting | Final season of the American Basketball Association |
| Plot | Story of a fictional ABA team desperate to survive the league's merger with the NBA |
| Filming Locations | Los Angeles, Detroit, and Flint, Michigan |
| Release Date | February 19, 2008 |
| DVD/Blu-ray Release | June 3, 2008 |
| Box Office Performance | Grossed $43,884,904 worldwide |
| Critical Reception | Generally negative reviews; Rotten Tomatoes score: 23% |
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What You'll Learn
Will Ferrell's basketball film Semi-Pro
Will Ferrell stars in the 2008 sports comedy film Semi-Pro, directed by Kent Alterman. The film is set in the 1970s and tells the story of Jackie Moon, a one-hit-wonder singer and owner of a struggling basketball team called the Flint Michigan Tropics.
Jackie Moon, portrayed by Ferrell, is the owner-coach-player of the American Basketball Association's Flint Michigan Tropics. The team is the worst in the league, and the franchise is under threat when the ABA and NBA announce plans to merge. In an attempt to promote his team, Moon wrestles a 700-pound grizzly bear named Rocky in the film. However, in a tragic incident, the bear killed one of the trainers, Stephan Miller, who was a cousin of Ferrell's stunt double.
Moon rallies his teammates to pursue their NBA dreams. The Tropics are confident they will reach fourth place and make it to the NBA. However, their dreams are shattered when they learn that a deal was already made for several other teams to merge into the NBA, regardless of their regular-season records. The ABA commissioner believed that Flint did not have a large enough media market to host an NBA franchise.
Semi-Pro also stars Woody Harrelson as Ed Monix, the aging point guard and former NBA Champion; André Benjamin as Clarence Withers, who dreams of playing in the NBA; and Maura Tierney as Lynn, Ed Monix's love interest. The film received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticized the script. However, Ferrell's performance received praise, and the film won the 2008 Best Sports Movie award.
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Ferrell's performance praised despite negative reviews
Will Ferrell is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer known for his roles in comedy films. Ferrell has received various accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and a British Academy Television Award. Ferrell's 2008 sports comedy film, 'Semi-Pro', received generally negative reviews from critics, who described the film as a "half-hearted attempt at sports satire". Despite the negative reviews, Ferrell's performance in the film received praise.
In 'Semi-Pro', Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, the owner, coach, and player of a struggling basketball team called the Flint Tropics. The film is set during the final season of the American Basketball Association and tells the story of the team's attempts to survive the league's merger with the NBA.
While the film received mixed reviews, with some critics finding it only intermittently funny, Ferrell's performance was singled out for praise. One review commented that Ferrell was "at his best" playing obtuse, lovable, and arrogant Jackie Moon. Another review noted that, although the film was "not exactly a slam dunk", it was "definitely more than semi-funny".
Despite some positive reviews of Ferrell's performance, others found the film underwhelming. One review compared 'Semi-Pro' unfavourably to Ferrell's previous sports comedies, 'Talladega Nights' and 'Blades of Glory', which were considered funnier than 'Semi-Pro'. Another review commented that the film was "stupid stupid" rather than "smart stupid", suggesting that the premise was funny but the execution fell flat.
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Ferrell wrestles a bear in Semi-Pro
In the 2008 sports comedy film Semi-Pro, Will Ferrell's character, Jackie Moon, owner, player, and coach of the fictional American Basketball Association team, the Flint Tropics, wrestles a bear to promote his team. The bear, named Rocky, was a 5-year-old, 7.5-foot-tall (2.3 m), 700-pound (320 kg) male grizzly bear.
In the film, Jackie Moon comes up with various outlandish stunts to raise attendance so that his team might have a shot at making the NBA. One of these stunts is wrestling a bear. During the scene, Ferrell's stunt double, Randy Miller, wrestled the bear. When the actor appears to slap the bear, the trainer stood in and pantomimed the slap without making contact. The bear was cued to mouth the costumed trainer's wig and shoulder during the wrestling scene. For the portion of the scene in which Jackie throws punches near the bear's face, a costumed trainer stood in for the actor, and a hotline was placed between the trainer and the bear.
The bear was trained for several weeks before filming, and the few cast and crew members who were needed on set were kept at a safe distance from the live bear. A remote camera was used, and people in the stands were replaced with mannequins. A “hotline” fence surrounded the platform. After the wrestling scene was filmed, the trainer cued the bear to walk down the platform's stairs and return to his cage, which he did without hesitation.
Tragically, just weeks after the film's release, the bear bit and killed Randy Miller's cousin and fellow trainer, Stephan Miller.
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Semi-Pro's box office performance
- Semi-Pro is an American sports comedy film starring Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André 3000 (credited as André Benjamin), and Maura Tierney. Set during the final season of the American Basketball Association, the film tells the story of a fictional ABA team struggling to survive the league's merger with the NBA. The film was directed by Kent Alterman and written by Scot Armstrong.
- Semi-Pro was released in theatres on February 19, 2008, and later released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on June 3, 2008. In its opening weekend, the film grossed $15 million in 3,121 theatres in the United States and Canada, ranking first at the box office. Despite this strong opening, the film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, with an approval rating of 23% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average score of 47 out of 100 on Metacritic. Alicia Chang of the Associated Press described the opening as "lackluster" when compared to Ferrell's previous sports comedies, such as Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory, which had significantly higher-grossing openings.
Despite the film's mixed reception, Ferrell's performance received praise. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone commended Ferrell's performance, stating, "when the script, by Scott Armstrong, shoots air balls, Ferrell is a slam-dunk." Similarly, Claudia Puig of USA Today remarked, "Although not exactly a slam dunk, Semi-Pro is definitely more than semi-funny."
In addition to the human cast, *Semi-Pro* also featured a 7-foot-tall, 700-pound male grizzly bear named Rocky, who appeared in a scene wrestling Will Ferrell's character. The film's soundtrack was released on February 26, 2008 and included songs by LaBelle, WAR, Curtis Mayfield, and Will Ferrell, among others.
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Semi-Pro's soundtrack
The 2008 American sports comedy film Semi-Pro, starring Will Ferrell, featured a soundtrack with a variety of artists and musical styles. The soundtrack included 14 songs and was released on CD and vinyl. While the movie received generally negative reviews, the soundtrack was well-received, with one Amazon review calling it "one of the best soundtracks ever!".
The Semi-Pro soundtrack features a hilarious song called "Love Me Sexy," sung by Will Ferrell himself, as well as songs by Curtis Mayfield. The songs capture the disco era of the 1970s, with some well-known tracks from that decade.
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. This basketball theme is reflected in the soundtrack, with a mix of upbeat and humorous songs that complement the film's sports theme.
While the movie's script was criticized, Ferrell's performance received praise, and the soundtrack likely contributed to the overall entertainment value of the film. The Semi-Pro soundtrack is a fun and diverse collection of songs that stands out as a memorable aspect of the movie.
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Frequently asked questions
John William Ferrell is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He received various accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Will Ferrell starred in the 2008 sports comedy film "Semi-Pro", which was set during the final season of the American Basketball Association. The film tells the story of a fictional ABA team desperate to survive the league's merger with the NBA.
"Semi-Pro" also starred Woody Harrelson, André 3000 (credited as André Benjamin), and Maura Tierney.
Yes, Will Ferrell was the captain of his high school basketball team. He also played football and soccer.
"Semi-Pro" received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticized the script. However, Will Ferrell's performance was praised.
