Will Ferrell shoots & scores in a formulaic comedy

Will Ferrell is a comic genius whose star is rising at an alarming rate in the past few years and seldom is a vehicle perfectly fitting to his talent.  His current comedy is not exactly a snug fit but allows him some snug room to exude his goofy cluelessness with deft aplomb.

As a loving family man/vitamin salesman, Phil Weston, a man who has been competing for the love and affection from his gruff, go-go-go gusto taking charge competitive father Buck (Robert Duvall, having a ball riffing on his bastard titular role of The Great Santini, a sadistic career military man/father from hell), Ferrell is determined to win at something, ANYTHING to gain his respect.  He finds it in the unlikely form as a coach for his son's peewee soccer league.

When he learns his own father has traded (!) his own grandson for the good of his team, Phil is head-strong to not allow his child be a pawn in the ongoing war of emotions between him and his dad and settles into the awkward position as a manager for the soccer team of misfits he has installed his son Sam (Dylan McLaughlin) much to the chagrin of his long-suffering wife Barbara (Kate Walsh) and the bemusement of the bullying Buck, who owns a successful chain of sporting goods stores.

At first the team of social outcasts seem to be a losing ploy for Phil and then realizes his ace in the hole with Buck's neighbor and arch nemesis, former NFL coach Mike Ditka (gleefully aping his tough-guy image here) by enlisting Ditka to be his assistant coach.  As the thorn in Buck's backside, Ditka turns the screws and takes over (at first) with his gruff and tumble methods until Phil realizes he is not personally fighting his own battles.

What follows is atypical formulaic fish-out-of-water knuckleheadness with heart dynamics yet Ferrell's go-for-broke absurdity makes the whole predictable comic mess a breath of fresh air not unlike Jack Black's star-making turn in "School of Rock": rising above the challenge of a pedestrian kiddie-themed comedy with parenting underscoring the proceedings at hand.

Ferrell's bursts of anger, frustration and honesty are hilarious particularly when Ditka introduces the novice coach to the evils of coffee and once caffeine enter Phil's system, all bets are off determined to go head-to-head with Buck in the championship game.  His over-the-top moment in a local coffeehouse waiting on line is a priceless bit of insanity as he spouts about having a customer card only to be pointed out it is in fact a video store coupon card.

With a nice, sly comic turn by Duvall - with his self-satisfied, rueful chuckle - and the aforementioned untapped comedic appeal of the legendary Bears coach Ditka, Ferrell has a fine interplay with the two macho men as he taps into unexplored mannerisms of girly-men uptightness by way of egotistical dictatorial moronicism.  Not an easy tightrope to walk but Ferrell traipses with greatest of ease.  Seeing him jawing out Ditka to "go get me a juice box!!" is one for the cinematic comic vaults.  Director Jesse Dylan lets his talent have fun and it shows and I enjoyed the fact he actually shows the kids practicing their athletic skills over and over again and the kids actually helping one another.   Talk about teamwork!

Although the kids are barely distinguishable, Elliott Cho as Byong Sun, the tiny Asian adopted child of a gregarious lesbian couple (nicely done by comediennes Rachael Harris and the beautiful Laura Kightlinger) who has some fun moments here and there throughout.

Ferrell is clearly on the path of SNL alum in the likes of Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy - both who could've been the star of this kooky kid comedy - and is full of surprises; perhaps another starring vehicle clearly suited to his zany, smart comic chops.

Film Rating: êêê  (out of 4)