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The Comebacks (2007)
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Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Release Date:
19 October 2007 (USA)
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Tagline:
Keep your eye on the ball. See more »
Plot:
A comedy that spoofs the inspirational sports movies, The Comebacks tells the story of an out-of-luck coach, Lambeau Fields, who takes a rag-tag bunch of college misfits and drives them towards the football championships. In the process, this life-long loser discovers that he is a winner after all by redeeming himself, saving his relationship with his family and friends, and finding that there is indeed, no "I" in "team"! Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Awards:
1 nomination
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NewsDesk:
(56 articles)
Best of the Week: Iron Man, 'Star Trek' and Walking Out of Scary Movies
(From Movies.com. 12 April 2013, 8:00 PM, PDT)
Best of the Week: Iron Man, 'Star Wars' and Walking Out of Scary Movies
(From Movies.com. 12 April 2013, 8:00 PM, PDT)
Hoosiers Blu-ray Giveaway
(From Scorecard Review. 8 May 2012, 10:42 AM, PDT)
(From Movies.com. 12 April 2013, 8:00 PM, PDT)
Best of the Week: Iron Man, 'Star Wars' and Walking Out of Scary Movies
(From Movies.com. 12 April 2013, 8:00 PM, PDT)
Hoosiers Blu-ray Giveaway
(From Scorecard Review. 8 May 2012, 10:42 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Another sad spoof
See more (39 total) »
Cast
(in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)
Directed by | |||
| Tom Brady | |||
Writing credits(WGA) | ||
| Ed Yeager | (screenplay) & | |
| Joey Gutierrez | (screenplay) | |
| John Aboud | (story) & | |
| Michael Colton | (story) and | |
| Adam Jay Epstein | (story) & | |
| Andrew Jacobson | (story) | |
Produced by | |||
| Peter Abrams | .... | producer | |
| Adam F. Goldberg | .... | executive producer | |
| Laura Greenlee | .... | co-producer | |
| Jeffrey Harlacker | .... | associate producer | |
| Robert L. Levy | .... | producer | |
| Andrew Panay | .... | producer | |
| Kevin Sabbe | .... | co-producer | |
| Michael Schreiber | .... | co-producer (as Mike Schreiber) | |
Original Music by | |||
| Christopher Lennertz | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Anthony B. Richmond | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Alan Edward Bell | |||
Casting by | |||
| Barbara Fiorentino | |||
| Rebecca Mangieri | |||
| Wendy Weidman | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Marc Fisichella | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Douglas Cumming | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Salvador Pérez Jr. | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Rebecca Alling | .... | makeup artist | |
| Patricia Budz | .... | assistant hair stylist (as Patty Budz) | |
| Tarra D. Day | .... | makeup department head (as Tarra Day) | |
| RaMona Fleetwood | .... | hair department head | |
| Kelly Golden | .... | lead sculptor | |
| Ketty Gonzalez | .... | hair stylist | |
| Rob Hinderstein | .... | prosthetic effects supervisor | |
| Desne J. Holland | .... | makeup artist (as Desne Holland) | |
| Yuko T. Koach | .... | hair stylist | |
| Lori Sanders | .... | hair stylist | |
| Leah Vautrot | .... | makeup artist: second unit | |
| David Williams | .... | makeup artist: second unit | |
| Debbie Zoller | .... | makeup artist: second unit | |
Production Management | |||
| Mark Hansson | .... | unit production manager: additional photography | |
| Marty Eli Schwartz | .... | unit production manager | |
| John G. Scotti | .... | unit production manager: second unit | |
Art Department | |||
| Alysia Allen | .... | art department coordinator | |
| Liza Cucco | .... | art department assistant | |
| Matthew D. Egan | .... | propmaker gangboss | |
| Donald S. Foster | .... | set dresser | |
| Wendy Jerde | .... | scenic painter gang boss | |
| Duff Miller | .... | assistant property master | |
| Tom Miller | .... | assistant property master | |
| Lars Petersen | .... | construction coordinator | |
| Eric Reichardt | .... | lead scenic | |
| Robin Richesson | .... | storyboard artist | |
| Rodney Rosene | .... | set dresser | |
| Sharon Speller | .... | decorator painter | |
| Steven C. Voll | .... | general foreman | |
| Thomas 'Noe' Welch | .... | swing gang | |
| John Youngblood | .... | on-set dresser | |
Sound Department | |||
| Mark Agostino | .... | pro tools playback operator | |
| Walter Anderson | .... | sound mixer | |
| Chris Carpenter | .... | sound re-recording mixer | |
| Derek Casari | .... | adr engineer | |
| Smokey Cloud | .... | assistant sound editor | |
| Michael Haight | .... | dialogue editor | |
| Allen Hartz | .... | adr supervisor | |
| R.J. Kizer | .... | dialogue editor | |
| Andy Koyama | .... | sound re-recording mixer | |
| Richard Mercado | .... | sound mixer: second unit | |
| John Morris | .... | supervising sound editor | |
| Michael A. Patillo | .... | sound utility | |
| Andrea Piedimonte | .... | adr mixer | |
| Brian Robinson | .... | boom operator | |
Special Effects by | |||
| Ozzy Alvarez | .... | fabricator | |
| Thomas D. Bacho Jr. | .... | mechanical engineer | |
| Christian Beckman | .... | makeup effects producer: Quantum Creation FX | |
| Alex E. Burns | .... | special effects driver | |
| Robert Kato DeStefan | .... | fabricator | |
| Jason Dodd | .... | special effects crew | |
| John C. Hartigan | .... | special effects coordinator | |
| Danielle Noe | .... | special makeup effects: Quantum Creation FX | |
| Justin Raleigh | .... | project coordinator: Quantum Creation FX | |
| Mike Thompson | .... | special effects crew | |
| Gary D. Bierend | .... | special effects crew (uncredited) | |
| Mark Rappaport | .... | animatronic effects (uncredited) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Spencer Armajo | .... | digital compositor | |
| Gary M. Davis | .... | digital compositor | |
| Saeed Faridzadeh | .... | digital compositor | |
| Jim Gorman | .... | digital compositor | |
| Todd Groves | .... | digital compositor | |
| Bonnie Kanner | .... | visual effects executive producer: Pixel Magic | |
| Ray McIntyre Jr. | .... | visual effects supervisor | |
| Reid Paul | .... | senior digital effects supervisor | |
| Reid Paul | .... | visual effects producer | |
| Lee Roderick | .... | visual effects supervisor | |
| Juan Carlos Vargas | .... | digital effects artist (as Juan Vargas) | |
| Jennifer Vecchiarello | .... | visual effects producer | |
| Thomas Mathai | .... | data manager (uncredited) | |
Animation Department | |||
| Jonathan Winbush | .... | design/animation | |
Casting Department | |||
| Allison Bader | .... | casting intern | |
| Jessie Disla | .... | casting associate | |
| Johnny Gidcomb | .... | adr voice casting | |
| Amber Horn | .... | casting associate | |
| Jeff Olan | .... | extras casting | |
| Cash Oshman | .... | crowd casting | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Kevin Ian Ackerman | .... | additional costumer | |
| Gala Autumn | .... | costume supervisor | |
| Antonitta Barnes | .... | set costumer | |
| Artemio Carpio | .... | costumer | |
| Paul Corricelli | .... | set costumer | |
| Molly Grundman | .... | assistant costume designer | |
| Terri Middleton | .... | costumer | |
| Angela Parrish | .... | costumer | |
| Roric Ruegsegger | .... | costumer | |
| Haik Tateossian | .... | fabric dyer & printer | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Rod Dean | .... | associate editor | |
| Beth Dewey | .... | digital intermediate producer | |
| Michael Hatzer | .... | supervising digital colorist: Efilm | |
| Donald Likovich | .... | assistant editor | |
| Jami Philbrick | .... | post-production assistant | |
| Michael Rostker | .... | assistant editor | |
Music Department | |||
| Tom Boyd | .... | musician: oboe soloist | |
| Buck Damon | .... | music supervisor | |
| George Doering | .... | musician | |
| Matt Fausak | .... | music editor | |
| Kevin Globerman | .... | digital score recordist | |
| M.B. Gordy | .... | musician: Percussion | |
| Steve Juliani | .... | music preparation | |
| Andrew Kinney | .... | orchestrator | |
| David Low | .... | orchestra contractor | |
| Dana Niu | .... | orchestrator | |
| Brandon Roberts | .... | orchestrator | |
| Bart Samolis | .... | musician | |
| James Thatcher | .... | musician: french horn | |
| Jeff Vaughn | .... | scoring mixer | |
| Philip White | .... | assistant to composer | |
Transportation Department | |||
| Al Burton | .... | picture car coordinator | |
| Darrell Dubovsky | .... | driver | |
| Royale Edward | .... | driver | |
| Chris Haynes | .... | driver | |
| Kirk Huston | .... | driver captain | |
| Zoa Keith | .... | transportation dispatcher | |
| Knut Kielpinski | .... | driver | |
| 'Wild Bill' Laczko | .... | transportation | |
| Rick Lovoy | .... | driver | |
| Anthony J. Mignano | .... | driver | |
| Douglas Price | .... | driver | |
| Tony Ruiz | .... | driver | |
| Chris Stephens | .... | transportation | |
| John F. Teeple | .... | driver | |
| Jay E. Vigil | .... | transportation co-captain | |
Production CompaniesDistributors
- Fox Atomic (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox of Germany (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2008) (Argentina) (all media)
- FS Film Oy (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
- Gativideo (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Conceptual Design and Development (special make-up effects)
- Handmade Digital (digital opticals and visual effects)
- Quantum Creation FX (special make-up effects and prosthetics) (uncredited)
- Big Crowds crowd casting
- Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment dollies
- Chef Robért Catering catering
- Designer Wardrobe Trailers wardrobe trailer
- Direct Tools & Fasteners expendables
- EFilm digital intermediate services
- Loop de Loop adr group
- Newman Scoring Stage, Twentieth Century Fox Studios, The score recorded at
- Scarlet Letters title design
- Sessions Payroll Management extras payroll services
- Sportsrobe costumes
Additional Details
Also Known As:
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MPAA:
Rated PG-13 on appeal for crude and sexual content throughout and some drug material (re-rating on appeal)
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
USA:84 min | Germany:88 min | 107 min (unrated version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Certification:
USA:PG-13 (re-rating on appeal) | USA:R (original rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | New Zealand:R13 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The coach's name, Lambeau Fields, is a play on Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers.See more »
Quotes:
Titans Coach:Crack is whack and white don't cover black!See more »
Movie Connections:
Spoofs Field of Dreams (1989)See more »
Soundtrack:
Close Your EyesSee more »
FAQ
What are the differences between the theatrical version and the Unrated version of the movie?See more »
See more (39 total) »
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Comebacks (2007) See more »Recommendations
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I lay the blame for The Comebacks on anyone who enjoyed Date Movie and Epic Movie. You people encouraged the Fox studio to keep on churning out desperate parody films, and now we're faced with what just may be the laziest and most desperate one of them all. The Comebacks barely qualifies as a parody. Heck, it barely qualifies as a movie. This is a comedy in theory, but not in execution. No one, not even the people involved with this mess, could have possibly fooled themselves into thinking they were making a funny movie. Director Tom Brady (The Hot Chick) has made something truly wretched here.
The plot, if you can even call it that, centers on a man named Lambeau Fields (David Koechner). Right when I heard his name within the first couple seconds of the film, I knew I was in for a long movie. Funny names are seldom funny, and become even less funny the more you hear them. Lambeau is one of the worst coaches in the world, but he's been given another chance by his best friend, Freddie Wiseman (Carl Weathers), to coach a ragtag high school football team called The Comebacks. Lambeau must not only lead the team to victory, but also teach them the ways of inspirational sports movie clichés. He expects his kids to have poor grades and problems with alcohol, and ridicules them when they don't. When it looks like the team has a chance to play at the big championship Toilet Bowl game (Did 10-year-olds write this script?), Lambeau is shocked to discover that Freddie is the coach of the big rival team that his team will be playing against. Turns out Freddie only encouraged Lambeau to take the coaching job, because he wanted The Comebacks to lose.
The Comebacks is a movie so forced and pathetic, I almost had a hard time believing what I was watching. Spoof movies have recently turned into a game of "spot the movie reference", and this continues the tradition. It tries to squeeze in as many references to other sports movies as it can, but it either does absolutely nothing with them, expecting us to just point at the screen and laugh out of familiarity, or it attempts to be funny and falls flat on its face. Some of the films referenced include Field of Dreams, Bend it Like Beckham, Rocky Balboa, Friday Night Lights, Stick It, Radio, Miracle, Remember the Titans, Gridiron Gang, Invincible, and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. But wait, wasn't Dodgeball already a parody of inspirational sports movies? So, in other words, we're watching a parody of a parody of inspirational sports movies. If that makes any sense to you, you're just the audience this movie is looking for. Some of these films are referenced in the plot, and some (like the Rocky one) are just thrown in for no reason, because the filmmakers wanted to try to reference as many films as possible. There are some that the movie even feels the need to explain to us in its dialogue, just in case we've missed the obvious reference. You know a movie is in trouble when it has to spell out its own jokes to us.
The worst thing is that the screenplay by TV veterans and first time screen writers, Ed Yeager and Joey Gutierrez, doesn't even know the first and most important rule of parody - You have to play it straight. The actors have to pretend they're not in on the joke. The reason why the classic Zucker Brothers movies like Airplane, Top Secret, and The Naked Gun are remembered so fondly is because they cast serious actors like Leslie Nielsen (yes, he was a serious actor before he turned to comedy) and Robert Stack, and then threw them into ridiculous situations. What made it funny is that they acted like they weren't in a comedy, and kept a stone face to the weirdness around them. Those films wouldn't have worked if they played their roles broadly. The Comebacks proves this, as all the actors are forced to play their roles so goofy, it's like they're screaming at us to laugh. David Koechner keeps on flailing his arms, bulging his eyes, and screaming at the top of his lungs to the point he looks like someone who knows he's trapped in a dead-end comedy, and just tries too hard to pretend he's having a good time. The movie also doesn't understand the art of celebrity cameos (also an important factor when it comes to parody films). What kind of cameos do we get in The Comebacks? Andy Dick and Dennis Rodman.
By the time the movie throws in an out of nowhere and extremely pointless cast musical number to Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" for absolutely no reason whatsoever, I was just about ready to walk out the theater door. I was the only person at my screening, and the thought of this movie going on its pathetic way to a completely empty house kind of appealed to me. I did sit through the rest of The Comebacks, and I was not rewarded for my efforts. The sad thing is, Fox is not yet done killing the spoof genre. They have a parody of 300 coming out next year called Meet the Spartans. I'd say it can't be much worse than this, but I've seen the trailer, and I wouldn't want to get your hopes up.