Dodgeball: "that rare thing, funny frat-boy humor"

[hoosier]

MOVIE REVIEW: Dodgeball - A true underdog story

BY DANIEL NEMAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Jun 19, 2004


In "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," the deus ex machina is actually labeled "deus ex machina."

It's the little jokes that score in "Dodgeball," sort of like "Shrek 2," but they score consistently and well. The bigger jokes lie flat, and the movie never actually attempts anything huge and gut-busting.

But the little jokes act like a boxer's jab: annoying us at first, then getting under our skin, and finally leaving us collapsed helpless on the floor.

It is definitely frat-boy humor, but it is that rare thing, funny frat-boy humor. A man named Rawson Marshall Thurber wrote and directed it as his first full-length film, and he seems to have a knack for making people laugh.


He also apparently started a trend. Grown-ups play dodgeball in "Dodgeball," which is part of the joke; it's a made-up game like "BASEketball," which was also fairly funny and which this movie somewhat resembles.

But now, presumably spurred by reports of the movie, adults are actually playing dodgeball. Also kickball. Soon we will have professional tiddlywinks teams and full-contact Chutes and Ladders tournaments.

In "Dodgeball," Vince Vaughn stars as Peter LaFleur, the somewhat broken-down owner of a decidedly broken-down gym, Average Joe's. Across the street is a glitzy, high-tech and thoroughly obnoxious gym run by White Goodman, played by Ben Stiller.

Ordinarily, the appearance of Stiller in a movie is the reddest of red flags, an incontrovertible indication that the movie is going to be visibly straining for laughs that will never come. When Stiller is in a movie, it is usually a sign that the filmmakers think a name like White Goodman is funny, though they won't be able to tell you why.

But that formulation does not take into account the Rawson Marshall Thurber factor. Thurber is apparently funny (he's no James Thurber, but still) and, while he cannot keep Stiller in check, at least he can compensate for him in the rest of the movie.

You have to love a movie, for instance, that has a television channel called ESPN 8 - "The Ocho" - with the motto "If it's almost a sport, we've got it here." Or a sporting event that takes place at the University of Las Vegas Learning Annex. Or a dodgeball team with the motto "Aim low." Or a sports announcer who excitedly says, "Do you believe in unlikeliness?"

Not all of the jokes work, of course. A fairly significant number of them lie bleeding on the screen, and not just ones involving Stiller.

Since the whole point of dodgeball is to hit people with a ball, far too many jokes show people being hit by balls, or wrenches. And because it's dodgeball, far too many jokes are testicular in nature.

No one ever said frat boys were mature.

A few Hollywood Squares-worthy celebrities make cameos with varying success, and it's nice to know that the actress playing the woman who spurns Stiller in favor of Vaughn is actually married to Stiller.

But in the end, it's the silly jokes in "Dodgeball" that pile up until they eventually get to you.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Hmmm...the review I heard was that this movie wasn't even funny if you are high.

[amgn253]

I personally thought Dodgeball was one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. It falls into a rare catagory of "Movies I Would Pay To See Again in the Theatre". The last movie that had that esteemed honor was Office Space. Coincidentally, some of the actors from Office Space are in Dodgeball (Milton and Lumburgh). I heard the critics either adored Dodgeball or hated it.

[Xylochick216]

I just got back from seeing Dodgeball and I loved it. It's definitely funny. I'll be adding it to my DVD collection when it comes out

[Tippiechick]

There's a whole thread about this very same movie in the ENTERTAINMENT forum

[Kevin]

What in the hell is "frat boy" humor?

Did I miss the memo?

[thermobryan]

Originally posted by ktsnake
What in the hell is "frat boy" humor?

Did I miss the memo?

Frat boy humor:
1. Making fun of others
2. Violence of weaker people as funny
3. Random hot naked girls
4. Party scenes
5. Drinking jokes
6. Meat-head-ology
7. Treating girls as pieces of meat

The list could go on, but basically it's all basic meat head humor...Things that I honestly do find funny in movies but not necessarily in real life, JK!!! HAHAHA

[HPU PIKE]

i like the movie. the dialogue is just hilarious. "i know that you knew that i know that you know i know." the cameos were also a nice touch (chuck norris, david hasslehoff). i can see why some critics ripped it apart though, it flirts with being dumb as opposed to comical.

[DeeGeePrincess]

I saw Dodgeball on Sat. and i recommend to everybody! it was really funny!! Plus Ben stiller is just funny. i was just tripping!! hahah

[Optimist Prime]

Originally posted by DeltaBetaBaby
Hmmm...the review I heard was that this movie wasn't even funny if you are high.

LOL

Did it really say that?

[Kevin]

Originally posted by thermobryan
Frat boy humor:
1. Making fun of others
2. Violence of weaker people as funny
3. Random hot naked girls
4. Party scenes
5. Drinking jokes
6. Meat-head-ology
7. Treating girls as pieces of meat

The list could go on, but basically it's all basic meat head humor...Things that I honestly do find funny in movies but not necessarily in real life, JK!!! HAHAHA

So basically uncouth, common and crude humor. I wouldn't say that fraternities have exclusive dominion over that. Heck, as far as I know, we're the only institutions on my campus that still teach guys how to treat a lady, general ettiquette, etc.

Of course, "frat boy" humor also abounds in my chapter I guess. As with just about any normal college student.

[thermobryan]

Originally posted by ktsnake

Of course, "frat boy" humor also abounds in my chapter I guess. As with just about any normal college student.

Thats why I said Frat boy humor, not Fraternity Men humor....I think we all know the difference...

[pirate00]

I wouldn't see that movie again even if it was playing in my glasses.

[pirate00]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by thermobryan
[B]Frat boy humor:
1. Making fun of others
2. Violence of weaker people as funny
3. Random hot naked girls
4. Party scenes
5. Drinking jokes
6. Meat-head-ology
7. Treating girls as pieces of meat

Don't forget #8, The trite plot of "getting the fraternity house back", or "getting the charter back"

[thermobryan]

OH yeah, thats right...Or fighting the evil dean....