Kicking and Screaming (2005, DVD)

When you have an over achieving father and a son who struggles athletically you get the humorously charged film titled, "Kicking & Screaming". Originally released in May of 2005 this film features funny man Will Ferrell and veteran actor Robert Duval. The movie begins with infant Phil Weston getting a soccer ball in his crib from his competitive father Buck who wants his son to follow in his footsteps. The only problem is that Phil is not as athletically inclined as his father who is a coach and lucrative sports storeowner.


One day when Phil was awkwardly throwing the javelin in college he meets his wife to be Barbara (Kate Walsh). Phil is excited about meeting Barbara and wants to show her off to his father. Instead of surprising his dad he is introduced to his vivacious young future stepmother Janice (Musetta Vander). Things move quickly for both Phil and his father Buck as they both have boys. Phil's son Sam and Buck s son Bucky both play soccer for the same team named the Gladiators where Buck is the head coach. Bucky is the son Buck always wanted, he is talented and is a starter on the soccer team. History repeats itself with his 10-year-old grandson Sam as he rides the bench much like his father Phil did throughout his life. Phil recognizes that his son is not being treated fairly and complains to his father Buck.


To resolve the problem Buck recommends trading his grandson Sam to the weakest team in the league the Tigers. As if things could not get any worse the head coach of the Tigers quits without notice and moves out of town. Phil agrees to takeover as coach and hires Mike Ditka who plays himself as the assistant coach. Mike takes the job because he and Buck are feuding neighbors. Taking the job as an assistant coach gives Mike a perfect opportunity to settle their feud once and for all. Things start to heat up between the Tigers and the Gladiators as they eventually face each other for the final match of the season. There is nothing new here, the movie's basic plot plays out by the numbers sprinkled with boorish humor and dysfunctional family dynamics that deserve to be on a TV talk show.


The acting in the film presents some thematic elements but due to the lack of character chemistry most of the theatrics feel exaggerated. In order to win Phil acts just like his self-centered father Buck, treating his wife, son and soccer team like cutthroat adversaries. By the time he apologizes for his ruthless behavior the obligatory redemptive piece feels compulsory and counterfeit. With the exception of Will Ferrell the compensatory qualities of this film largely rest in the talents of its young cast, which adds its own set of problems. Automatically when you see a young cast in a humorous soccer movie you presume the movie is geared for children. However the films MPAA rating of PG feels more like decorative storefront window dressing on a movie that should have received a PG-13 rating due to its adult based theme and mature subject matter. There are odious jokes about a child's looks, height and stature, and offensive comments relating to a couple's sexuality not to mention the frequent references to a male's anatomy in Buck's sport store commercials.


In the end, "Kicking & Screaming" does a good job of reflecting the pains and heartache of growing up with an overbearing parent, however the comedic vehicle and weak script used to tell the story was not as amusing as I initially thought it was going to be, plus the story has been done a thousand times. Director Marco Schnabel does a decent job managing the young actors but the adults lack of on screen chemistry and awkwardness leaves a lot to be desired. While this film clearly won't appeal to all audiences there are a few funny tidbits and real life reflections that make it worth watching on a Wednesday night.