Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

A group of misfits enter a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament in order to save their cherished local gym from the onslaught of a corporate health fitness chain.

Director:

Rawson Marshall Thurber

Writer:

Rawson Marshall Thurber

Stars:

Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, Ben Stiller

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vince Vaughn	...	Peter La Fleur
Christine Taylor	...	Kate Veatch
Ben Stiller	...	White Goodman
Rip Torn	...	Patches O'Houlihan
Justin Long	...	Justin
Stephen Root	...	Gordon
Joel David Moore	...	Owen
Chris Williams	...	Dwight
Alan Tudyk	...	Steve the Pirate
Missi Pyle	...	Fran
Jamal Duff	...	Me'Shell Jones (as Jamal E. Duff)
Gary Cole	...	Cotton McKnight
Jason Bateman	...	Pepper Brooks
Hank Azaria	...	Young Patches O'Houlihan
Al Kaplon	...	Tournament Referee

Storyline

White Goodman is the owner and founder of Globo Gym, and would love nothing more than owning Average Joe's Gymnasium. Peter LaFleur doesn't want to lose his gym to Goodman, but can't find a way to get $50,000 in time. Peter and his gang of gym buddies think of ways to raise money, finally settling on winning a dodgeball tournament. White Goodman retaliates by creating his own dodgeball team to finish off Peter. Peter's team doesn't do too well, until legendary ADAA champ Patches O'Houlihan turns up ready to train them.

---

Plot Keywords:

gym | dodgeball | tournament | ups | pirate | 

---

Taglines:

Grab Life by the Balls (Australia & Europe)

---

Genres:

Comedy | Sport

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for rude and sexual humor, and language

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English German

Release Date:

18 June 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dodgeball

Filming Locations:

1201 Santa Fe Avenue, Long Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$96,947 (Hong Kong) (5 November 2004)

Gross:

$182,574 (Hong Kong) (19 November 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Mediastream Vierte Film GmbH & Co. Vermarktungs KG, Red Hour Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Patches O'Houlihan says, "It's like watching a bunch of retards trying to hump a doorknob." - a reference to "It's like watching a monkey trying to hump a football.", something 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Coach Herb Brooks said to his team when they were preparing for the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, NY, which was also said by Tim Daland (Randy Quaid's character) in Days of Thunder.

---

Goofs

When Peter is talking to Patches after their first game, a guy in an Orange shirt is seen walking past the door. A few seconds later he is seen again walking down in the same direction without being seen walking back.

---

Quotes

Cotton McKnight: Las Vegas. A city built of hot sand, broken dreams and $5 lobster. A city where you can get a happy ending, if you pay a little extra. A city home to a sporting event greater than the World Cup, World Series and World War II combined.

---

Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits, there's a bizarre rant from White Goodman to the audience with his comments on the film's ending and a related odd musical interlude.

---

Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Michael Jackson's This Is It/The House of the Devil/Gentlemen Broncos (2009)

---

Soundtracks

"Face Off"
Written and Performed by Tom Morello
Courtesy of Sony Music

User Reviews

Go Team Slapstick!

Once every few years, you're presented to a slapstick comedy so hilarious you instantly forget how LOW this form of entertainment actually is. I can't give a scientific explanation to state how come it's funny to see someone (preferably wearing glasses) getting hit in the face by a ball…it just is. Dodgeball is vulgar, crude and without substance…but your stomach will hurt from laughing and don't we all need that from time to time? In case you really want to defend this film, you can always say it features tons of unsubtle criticism towards modern American image of exaggerated health-obsession. Ben Stiller's character is the personification of the obnoxious fitness guru: 'We're better than you, and we know it'. Opposed to him, there's Vince Vaughn as the chilled-minded, lovable guy who owns a fitness center for the underdeveloped wimps. Due to his financial situation, he risks losing his gym to Stiller except if he and his teams of misfits manage to win the world-famous dodgeball tournament. The film is a series of cheap chuckles, eccentric characters and outrageous one-liners. It's pretty funny to hear Stiller yell out lines like: 'You're a skid mark on the underpants of society'. Or the always-amusing Rip Torn encouraging his team with the words: 'you're as useful as a cock-flavored lollipop'. The acting is great as it can be with Ben Stiller and Rip Torn who go delightfully over the top and lots of enthusiast cameos (Chuck Norris, David Hasselhof, William Shatner and even Lance Armstrong). It sure isn't Schindler's List but Dodgball is great entertainment and stress releasing.