Kristian Ferrell
Will Ferrell's 2008 basketball comedy Semi-Pro is a sports fan and movie enthusiast's delight. Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon, a singer who buys a basketball team with the profits from his one-hit-wonder song Love Me Sexy. The film is set in the final season of the American Basketball Association and centres on the fictional team, the Flint Tropics, facing financial difficulties and the threat of a merger with the NBA. Ferrell's trademark humour and eccentric promotional stunts keep the audience entertained throughout. The film received mixed reviews, with a 23% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, but Ferrell's performance was praised as a standout.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Film Name | Semi-Pro |
| Genre | Sports Comedy |
| Year of Release | 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 | A singer buys a basketball team and becomes owner, head coach, starting power forward, and pre-game announcer |
| Duration | 1 hour 31 minutes |
| Rating | R |
| Gross Earnings | $43,884,904 worldwide |
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What You'll Learn
Will Ferrell's performance as Jackie Moon
In the 2008 sports comedy film Semi-Pro, Will Ferrell portrays Jackie Moon, a singer-turned-basketball team owner, head coach, and player. The film is set during the final season of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and follows the fictional ABA team, the Flint Tropics, as they strive to survive the league's merger with the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Ferrell's character, Jackie Moon, is a colourful and eccentric personality who uses the profits from his one-hit wonder song, "Love Me Sexy," to buy the Flint Tropics basketball team. He assumes multiple roles within the team, serving as the owner, head coach, starting power forward, and pre-game announcer.
Ferrell's performance as Jackie Moon received praise, even though the film itself garnered generally negative reviews from critics. Ferrell committed to the role, even appearing in full Flint Tropics uniform during promotions, such as when he warmed up with the Golden State Warriors before a game. Ferrell also appeared in character as Jackie Moon in TV spots for Old Spice deodorant and in ads for Anheuser-Busch during Super Bowl XLII.
In one memorable scene, Jackie Moon wrestles a 700-pound grizzly bear named Rocky to promote his basketball team. This scene, unfortunately, resulted in a tragic incident where the bear bit and killed Stephan Miller, the cousin of Ferrell's stunt double, Randy Miller.
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The film's critical reception
Will Ferrell's 2008 basketball comedy "Semi-Pro" received generally negative reviews from critics. The film has a poor Rotten Tomatoes score of 22-23% and a Metacritic score of 47/100. Critics described the film as a "lamely gratuitous comedic farce" and "one of Will Ferrell's weaker cinematic efforts". While Ferrell's performance received praise, the script was criticised.
Despite the poor critical reception, "Semi-Pro" has found an audience since its release. Writer Scot Armstrong said, "I get so many comments about 'Semi-Pro,' it's ridiculous. More than almost any of my other movies, people love 'Semi-Pro.'". The film grossed \$43,884,904 worldwide and topped the box office during its opening weekend.
One of the film's fans is Golden State Warriors basketball player Klay Thompson, who said, "That movie, 'Semi-Pro,' during my rehabilitation, when I’d have some dark days, I would just put that movie on and it would make me smile, so I’m very thankful for that film".
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The film's financial success
The 2008 sports comedy film Semi-Pro, starring Will Ferrell, grossed $15 million in 3,121 theatres across the United States and Canada during its opening weekend. The film pulled in $33,479,698 in domestic ticket sales and $10,405,206 internationally, for a worldwide total of $43,884,904.
Despite the film's generally negative reviews, with a 23% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, Ferrell's performance received praise. The film's box office success was largely dependent on the US market, as Ferrell was not a big draw overseas.
The film's release was significant as it was the last film produced by New Line Cinema before they were absorbed by Warner Bros. Pictures. This transition marked the end of New Line's 40-year history, with most of its 600 staff being laid off.
In 2022, Ferrell dressed up as his character from the film, Jackie Moon, while participating in warmups with the NBA's Golden State Warriors. This appearance added a touch of levity to the team, who had been on a losing streak.
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The film's costume design
The 2008 sports comedy Semi-Pro stars Will Ferrell as Jackie Moon, the owner, player, and coach of the fictional, struggling basketball team the Flint Tropics. The film is set during the final season of the American Basketball Association and follows the team's attempts to survive the league's merger with the NBA.
The Semi-Pro costume consists of a basketball uniform, including a white shirt with orange and teal lines, orange and white striped wristbands, and satin shorts with teal and orange borders. The shirt has an orange palm tree with the team name "Flint Tropics" and the number 33 printed on the front. The costume is completed with a sweatband and a pair of white sneakers with teal stripes.
The costume design for Semi-Pro is notable for its accurate representation of 1970s basketball uniforms, with its bold colours and unique design. The costume is also significant within the context of the film, as it helps to establish the setting and tone, and has become iconic, with official costumes released for Halloween and prescreening events requiring attendees to wear similar outfits.
In addition to the main basketball uniform, Will Ferrell's character, Jackie Moon, is also known for his disco hit "Love Me Sexy", which would have influenced the costume design for his stage performances. Moon is also seen wearing a variety of outfits in promotional images, including a suit and tie, and a tracksuit, reflecting the character's role as the team's owner and coach.
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The film's promotional stunts
Will Ferrell's sports comedy "Semi-Pro" is a 2008 film about a struggling basketball team in the American Basketball Association (ABA) during the 1970s. The film is centred around Jackie Moon, a former one-hit-wonder singer-turned-owner, coach, and player of the fictional Flint Tropics team.
The film features a series of eccentric promotional stunts and absurd schemes concocted by Jackie Moon to boost attendance at their games and keep the team afloat amidst financial difficulties and the impending ABA-NBA merger. Here are some notable promotional stunts from the film:
Halftime Three-Point Free Throw
In one scene, Jackie Moon offers a $10,000 prize to a fan for making a halftime three-point free throw, despite not having the money to back up the stunt.
Corndog Nights and Bear Wrestling
Moon also attempts to draw crowds with "Corndog Nights" and "Bear Wrestling" promotions, adding to the absurdity and entertainment value of the film.
Eyeliner Fiasco
In another stunt, the Tropics players wear eyeliner that stings their eyes, causing a disruption during the game.
Brawl During a TV Commercial Break
The film also features a big brawl between the Tropics and the opposing team, which breaks out during a TV commercial break, creating chaos and grabbing attention.
Poker Game with an Unloaded Gun
In a dangerous stunt, Jackie Moon introduces an unloaded gun to a poker game, only to discover that the gun actually has a bullet in one chamber, creating a tense and unpredictable moment.
In addition to these stunts, Will Ferrell also engaged in promotional activities outside of the film. Prior to the film's release, Ferrell made an appearance at a prescreening event at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, alongside director Kent Alterman. The catch? All viewers were required to wear basketball uniforms similar to Ferrell's costume in the film to gain entrance to the theater.
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Frequently asked questions
Semi-Pro is a sports comedy film set in 1976 during the final season of the American Basketball Association. The film centres on Jackie Moon, a singer who buys a basketball team, the Flint Tropics, with the profits from his one-hit-wonder "Love Me Sexy". Moon becomes the owner, head coach, and starting power forward of the team. When the ABA Commissioner announces a plan to merge the league with the NBA, the Tropics, the worst team in the league, are in danger of dissolving. Moon concocts a wild plan to boost attendance at their games and keep the team alive.
Semi-Pro stars Will Ferrell as Jackie Moon, alongside Woody Harrelson, André 3000 (credited as André Benjamin), Maura Tierney, Will Arnett, and David Koechner.
Semi-Pro was released in theatres on February 19, 2008, and on DVD and Blu-ray on June 3, 2008.
