Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story ★★★

“YOU’RE about as useful as a cock-flavoured lollipop.”

If that style of humour is up your alley, then you’ve probably seen 2004’s Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story a few times already.

More often than not this type of  sports send-up usually stars Will Ferrell and John C Reilly.; think Semi-Pro, Blades of Glory, the Ballad of Bobby xx etc.

Then there’s King Pin, with Randy Quaid, Woody Harrelsen and Bill Murray, which is a particularly good effort.

Dodgeball sits somewhere around the middle with not quite as many memorable quotations, the main hallmark of a comedy’s longevity these days.

This one stars Vince Vaughan and Ben Stiller, two proven comic actors, and features a scene-stealing performance from veteran Rip Torn.

Vaughan plays Peter La Fleur, a fancy name for his usual knockabout comedy persona, in this case the owner/operator of a struggling neighbourhood gym.

La Fleur’s management of the business is so bad he doesn’t even realise it is days away from going under until he is targeted by a nearby business.

Stiller plays White Goodman, the obnoxious, self-obsessed and dim-witted owner of the highly successful Global Gym which needs more land to expand.

La Fleur has to find money quickly and one of his parade of oddball customers comes up with the idea of winning a dodgeball competition.

They pull together a make-shift team that stumbles into contention but only becomes a real threat when theystart being coached by former dodgeball legend Patches O’Houlihan.

Torn plays the wheelchair-bound, foul-mouthed cantankerous character to perfection and provides many of the film’s best moments.

The writing may not be anything special, but all the performances are entertaining with particular mention of Stiller who throws himself into the ridiculously over-the-top role.

Notable amongst the usual cameos is one from now disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong which supplies some added sting.

Dodgeball was released in the same year as two similar and better films – Anchorman and Meet the Fockers – both also starring Stiller.

It may be less fondly remembered, but it’s still a fun watch that will hold up for years to come.