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The Benchwarmers (2006)
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Movie Review by Tony 
August 14th, 2006
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Adam Sandler again produces a dumb, gross-out comedy filled with farts, shots to the groin, and humor that aims to the lowest realm of human society. I say this with the utmost respect as I'm sure a few of my readers will and have already enjoyed THE BENCHWARMERS. This is the second time this year I have had to see a Happy Madison produced film and if I never see one again, it will be too soon. BENCHWARMERS is insulting for a number of reasons, but mostly is it's laziness and lack of respect for its audience.
They all sat around and said let's use the cheapest comedic actors we can find, let's make it as short as possible, let's borrow from REVENGE OF THE NERDS and BAD NEWS BEARS, and let's make the most money we can. We bring out Rob Schneider, who has recently stated he will never work with Mel Gibson after his comments and urges everyone else to do so. Yes, because Schneider is the voice of Hollywood after all. I got news for you buddy, even if Gibson was not in deep water, he would not work with you. Don't flatter yourself.
Also in the cast is David Spade with his lazy and lackluster humor. Jon Heder extending his Napoleon Dynamite fame for all he can. When will those 15 minutes end? They play a group of loser pals who one day catch a fat kid being picked on near a local baseball field. The kid gets farted on. Wonder who came up with that creative humor bit? They challenge the mean kids to a baseball game and end up winning. Gus (Schneider) is able to hit everything out of the park, Richie (Spade) swings and misses often, and Clark (Heder) swings pretty good, but can't hold onto the bat. It flies into the outfield, bushes, and cars.
They win despite having only 3 players, and the other team having 9. Not to mention they are grown adults and they are playing baseball with children. Gus is the only productive member of the team as he strikes everyone out and hits home-runs like Babe Ruth. The kid who got picked on and saved by the Benchwarmers has a rather rich former nerd father played by Jon Lovitz. Lovitz liked what they did and how they played and starts a tournament between the Benchwarmers and the other teams. The winning team gets a billion dollar stadium.
It's easy to criticize a film for being predictable. Most films released are. I have seen about 30-40 John Wayne films and a good chunk of them followed the same formula. I have enjoyed them, loved them, and got into them just the same. A film can follow a formula and work. But you have to get the sense that they are least trying and putting forth effort. Every time John Wayne had that fight at the end, he was intense, into it, and made you believe. As I stated above, BENCHWARMERS has this attitude about it and a certain c*ckiness.
Like they know everyone who was watching this film is dumb. Like they are laughing all the way to the bank and doing it in under 90 minutes. 80 minutes to be exact. Let's take this beat up, tired, old script which has been done to death, let's film it as soon as possible, and let's use the same fart, vomit, and gay jokes and let's get rich. I don't like being messed with and BENCHWARMERS just messes with you. We get messed with enough in the real world, don't need the movies to mess with us too. Before you ask why I saw and reviewed this film, it's my job. To see the good ones and the bad ones.
I'm starting a petition to shut down Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions after seeing GRANDMA'S BOY, and now BENCHWARMERS. Whose with me?
Tony Farinella
Grade: F
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 | Rodney
Aug 17, 2006 2:55 PM
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| Grandma's boy was one of the worst and senseless films of all time. Complete waste of time. |
 | Zara
Feb 1, 2007 11:35 PM
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| I completely agree with you on this. The movie was such a waste. |
 | Javi
Feb 19, 2007 5:11 PM
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Hmm...I'm gonna have to to with 2 1/2 on this one. It was asinine and entertaining. Sometimes one, sometimes the other, sometimes neither, sometimes both.
But I remember laughing and that's all that counts to me. |
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