Church Ball (2006)
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18% of critics liked it
(11 reviews) -
43% of users liked it
(1,247 ratings)
High spiritual ideals don't quite mesh with the spirit of competition in this sports comedy. In the 1920s, the leaders of the Church of Latter Day Saints began encouraging their congregations to form basketball teams and church leagues as a way to promote fitness, wholesome fun, and teamwork… More High spiritual ideals don't quite mesh with the spirit of competition in this sports comedy. In the 1920s, the leaders of the Church of Latter Day Saints began encouraging their congregations to form basketball teams and church leagues as a way to promote fitness, wholesome fun, and teamwork among Mormon youth. However, the downside of this plan was the rise of wildly competitive teams who were a lot more interested in winning at all costs than good sportsmanship. In the 1970s, Bishop Linderman (Fred Willard) has been watching his Mud Lake basketball team get trounced in the Church League championships for nearly two decades, which doesn't sit well with him. Linderman used to be Mud Lake's coach before we was banned from the game for fighting, and with the team facing another losing season, he appoints a new man, Dennis Buckstead (Andrew Wilson), to lead Mud Lake on the court. When LDS elders announce that they're putting an end to church ball and the upcoming season will be the last, the pressure is on Buckstead to bring home a championship for Mud Lake's final season. But with a team comprised of myopic clerk Gene (Clint Howard), rotund Don (Chad Long), timid Thurman (Steve Anderson), half-pint car salesman Charles (Gary Coleman), short-tempered Mickey (Ross Brockley), and Borat (Sina Amedson), an immigrant who knows soccer far better than basketball, Buckstead's prospects are not very good. Not wanting to disappoint Linderman, Buckstead tries to recruit a pair of ringers for the Mud Lake team -- Moses Mahoney (Thurl Bailey), a seven-foot-tall prodigy who teaches sports to underprivileged kids, and Jeremiah Jones (Stan Ellsworth), a fierce player who may be just a bit too competitive. Church Ball was directed by Kurt Hale and released through Halestorm Entertainment, a leading producer of LDS-oriented films. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Kurt Hale
- Genres
- Drama, Faith & Spirituality, Sports & Fitness, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Mar 17, 2006 Wide
- Studio
- Halestorm Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Ted Fry, Seattle Times
... a carefree, underdog sports comedy.
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Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
Jokes fall flat, characterizations are sketchy at best, setups never receive their payoff, unnecessary subplots slow the already glacial pace.
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Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
Hale's directorial style relies way too much on the kind of cheesy music video montages that have long since been parodied to death, and the religious rock songs used are truly awful.
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William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Its rowdiness, bathroom humor, cast of familiar but second-rate actors and overall disrespect for organized religion make it seem like any other bad Hollywood farce.
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Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
Air ball . . . Air ball . . .
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Fred Willard
as Bishop Linderman
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Andrew Wilson
as Dennis Buckstead
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Clint Howard
as Gene Jensen
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Gary Coleman
as Charles Higgins
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Ross Brockley
as Mickey Morgan
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Curt Doussett
as Bruce Bracken
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Larry Bagby III
as Blake Bracken
- Jennifer Baker
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Larry Miller
as Himself
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Amy Stewart
as Susan Buckstead
- Randall Hood
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Benjamin Peterson
as Crystal Hills Team
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Steve Anderson (V)
as Thurman
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Peter May
as News Reel Narrator
- Robert Packer
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Brian Mason
as Yellow Team
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Joelle Wilson
as Mr. Snead
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David Nibley
as Doctor
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Joseph Morgan
as Polynesian Team
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Richard Rowley
as Polynesian Team
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Jeff Olson
as Building Supervisor
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Bernie Diamond
as Old Man Player
- John E. Moyer
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Matthew Hale
as Ringer Complainer
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Chad Long
as Don Weaver
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Stan Ellsworth
as Jeremiah Jones
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Sina Amedson
as Nadar
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Thurl Bailey
as Moses Mahoney
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Mindy Young
as Bertha
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Dillan Conrad
as Billy Buckstead
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Hilary Hughes
as Heather Buckstead
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Melanie Harding
as Jeremiah's Wife
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Catherine Shumway
as Gene's Wife
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Keri Hatfield
as Maxine Morgan
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Bita Adabkhah
as Dooki
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Dale Critchlow
as Rodney Munch
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Rod "Hot" Hundley
as Himself
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Mark Eaton
as Himself
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Michael Birkeland
as Referee/Umpire
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Jimmy Chunga
as Referee/Umpire
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Travis Eberhard
as Adam
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Brooke Kalama
as Penny Higgins
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar II
as Julius Higgins
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Kevin Whimpy
as Trey Higgins
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Kyle Whimpy
as MJ Higgins
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Johnny Biscuit
as Roy
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Susan Rounkles
as Reporter
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Carrie Bowers
as Woman With Bangs
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Cathy Madsen
as Hillary
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Dan "Sqwiggs" Jaster
as Fat Guy
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Rachel Good
as Parking Lot Mother
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Riley Terry
as Parking Lot Baby
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Dave Hansen
as Angry Home Owner
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Travis Welch
as Don's Kid
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Chandler Smith
as Don's Kid
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Kandi James
as Drama Queen
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Kala Alexander
as Carlos Munos
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Jonnie Tolman
as Padded Player
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Aaron Shober
as Ringer Complainer
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Vern Cottrell
as Hairy Player
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Maclain Nelson
as Slap-Happy Player
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Tim Whitaker
as Slap-Happy Player
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Alex Frazier
as Inner-City Basketball Player
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Spencer Greer
as Inner-City Basketball Player
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Parker Wright
as Inner-City Basketball Player
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Patrick Lyons
as Inner-City Basketball Player
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David Ojuka
as Inner-City Basketball Player
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Zach Frazier
as Inner-City Basketball Player
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Larry Schlappi
as Crystal Hills Coach
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Peter Pilling
as Crystal Hills Coach
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Tyler Schlappi
as Crystal Hills Team
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David Callahan
as Crystal Hills Team
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David Rodee
as Crystal Hills Team
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Bill Poppin
as Crystal Hills Team
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Karl Riding
as Crystal Hills Team
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Jared Parrish
as Crystal Hills Team
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Kip Fowler
as Crystal Hills Team
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Mark Madsen
as Crystal Hills Team
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Leroy "Big Budda" Teo
as Polynesian Team
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Daryn Tufts
as Polynesian Team
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Sekoa Aiono
as Polynesian Team
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Manoa Benjamin
as Polynesian Team
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Michael Faasou
as Polynesian Team
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Rudy Aiono
as Polynesian Team
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Spencer Pei
as Polynesian Team
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Nuuuli Brown
as Polynesian Team
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Edward Gasu
as Polynesian Team
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A. Pulu Peleti
as Polynesian Team
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Howard Tapusoa
as Polynesian Team
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Sione Fehoko
as Polynesian Team
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Ray Purcell
as Polynesian Team
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Tom Farnsworth
as Yellow Team
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Denny Barney
as Yellow Team
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Brad Plowman
as Yellow Team
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Dale Tanner
as Yellow Team
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Brad Arnett
as Yellow Team
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Scott Simas
as Yellow Team
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Dave Pothier
as Yellow Team
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Mike Schlappi
as Wheelchair Player
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Casey Scott
as Smart Mouth Player
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Mike Mecham
as Upset Crowd Member
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Ricky Carter
as Man in Sweats
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Johnny Craddock
as Basketball Kicker
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Amber Bollinger
as Visiting Teacher
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Amber Hawkins
as Visiting Teacher
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Jacob Stayner
as Young Dennis
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Justin Thornton
as Young Bruce Bracken
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Tyler Workman
as Young Blake Bracken
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Brad Call
as Bakery Assistant
- Lisa Hong
- Stephanie Packer
- Suzanne Viehweg
- Greg Duckwitz
- Susan Murano
- Jessica Kidd
- Alisha Nelson
- Addie Lott
- Shellie Stenquist
- Sandra Kidd
- Dennis Likes
- Robert Kidd
- Corbin Stott
- Paul Newey
- Marianne Liljenquist
- Brad Liljenquist
- Stephanie Liljenquist
- Angela Liljenquist
- Jay Carlisle
- Scott McShane
- Clarke Jackman
- Suzanne Tyler
- Nicole Murano
- Kristen Nelson
- Cindy Boulter
- Scott Christensen
- Brandon Kidd
- Joseph Parry
- Loraine Lott
- Shelley Liljenquist
- Brian Liljenquist
- Allison Liljenquist
- Scott Barney
- Bradley Carlisle