Down and Derby (2005)

23% of critics liked it
(26 reviews)
39% of users liked it
(766 ratings)

A handful of men begin behaving like children when their kids enter a Boy Scout competition in this family-friendly comedy. Ever since he was in fifth grade, Phil Davis (Greg Germann) has been coming in second place to Ace Montana (Marc Raymond) whenever they've been in some sort of competition… More A handful of men begin behaving like children when their kids enter a Boy Scout competition in this family-friendly comedy. Ever since he was in fifth grade, Phil Davis (Greg Germann) has been coming in second place to Ace Montana (Marc Raymond) whenever they've been in some sort of competition together, and now that Phil and Ace are both middle-aged fathers, history seems to repeat itself when Brady (Adam Hicks), Phil's son, loses the city junior basketball championship to a team featuring Ace's boy. When Phil learns that Brady will be going up against Ace's son again in his Boy Scout troop's annual Pinewood Derby race, Phil decides it time to end the Davis family's losing ways once and for all, and with help from his childhood friends Blaine (Ross Brockley) and Jimmy (Perry Anzilotti), Phil sets out to build the perfect Pinewood derby car -- whether or not that's what Brady has in mind. Produced with the cooperation of the Boy Scouts of America, Down and Derby also stars Lauren Holly, Pat Morita, and Hunter Tylo. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Eric Hendershot
Written By: Eric Hendershot
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Apr 15, 2005 Limited
On DVD: Jan 24, 2006
Studio: Freestyle Releasing

Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
It's all about these fathers and how crazy they are.
Joe Leydon, Variety
Typical for this type of family-skewing comedy, performances vacillate between engagingly broad and annoyingly overstated.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
A cute family feature about the competitive little boy in every dad.
Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter
Crammed with charmless characters and/or hammy performances.
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
Down and Derby has the look and feel of something that might turn up on a cable channel devoted to 'family-friendly' entertainment, where it might find a greater audience.
Michael Booth, Denver Post
Down and Derby is amusing enough to make a bit of money at the box office and become a shelf-stable DVD for years to come.
Audrey Rock-Richardson, Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah)
Does better on DVD than it did on the big screen, as long as your expectations aren't too high.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
The cornball humor and aw- shucks demeanor often make the Disney Channel seem edgy by comparison.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
Imbecilic, unreasonable and wretchedly unfunny.... The film is 5,580 seconds long, and not one of those seconds is believable.
Kim Williamson, Boxoffice Magazine
A simple pleasure from start to finish.
Carla Meyer, Sacramento Bee
Heads in predictable directions and illuminates little besides the process of crafting cars to compete in the Scouts' Pinewood Derby.
Todd Jorgenson, Denton Record Chronicle (TX)
The Pinewood Derby is a tradition dating back more than 50 years, but it's doubtful Down and Derby will hang around for more than a week.
, E! Online
[A] decent old-school family film (with cuddly lessons and morals).
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Too often the movie defies description as a comedy.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
[The] family-friendly slapstick is pitched at such a manic high... that the results are more exhausting than amusing.
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, TheMovieChicks.com
It has moments of fun, but... In racing terms, it limps toward the finish line and comes up short.

Read all 16 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Jay H

Just...no.
Jason R

The intensely competitive world of Pine Derby Racing is examined. In this kid-friendly tale of three fathers and the obsession of competition. That not only threatens their sanity, but their families as well. Very cliched, almost to the point of parody. But, it is fun to watch.

Cast

            Greg Germann as Phil Davis

            Lauren Holly as Kim Davis

            Adam Hicks as Brady Davis

            Perry Anzilotti as Big Jimmy

            Deborah Ashton as Angel Scaldoni

            Danny Shepherd as Danny Scaldoni

            Ross Brockley as Blaine Moosman

            Tammy Lier as Charlotte Moosman

            Carmen Rasmusen as Marilyn

            Nicholas Nengas as Todd Moosman

            Marc Raymond as Ace Montana

            Hunter Tylo as Teri Montana

            Eric Jacobs as A.J. Montana

            Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita as Ono Yakimoto

            Joey Miyashima as Kyosho Yakimoto

            Robert Costanzo as Claude

            Don Murphy as Himself

            Sandy Hackett as Larry Savage

            Alan Cassidy as Disqualified Dad #1

            Oscar and Elmer as Champ the Dog

            K.J. Adachi as Kyosho's Son

            Michael Glauser as Claude's Son

            Jared Wyson as Young Phil

            Joseph McKay as Young Ace

            Cameron Manwaring as Young Blaine

            Kyle Broadhead as Young Big Jimmy

            Scott Christopher-Claflin as Delivery Guy

            Craig Costello as Announcer

            Rick Glauser as Disqualified Dad #2

            TJ Larson as Cole Johnson

            Keaton Perkins as Cade Mathews

            Megan Selensky as Jane

            Janet Bird as Dental Assistant #1

            Laralee Leavitt as Dental Assistant #2

            Kaylee Barrett as Dental Patient #1

            Beverly Rhodes as Dental Patient #2

            Kade Mathew as Dental Patient #3

            Greg Porter as Motorcycle Delivery Man

            James Budge as Referee #1

            Matt Marquis as Referee #2

            Tanner Smith as Neighborhood Cub Scout #1

            Jake Akins as Neighborhood Cub Scout #2

            Olivia Paix as Scaldoni Daughter

            Great Dane as Shaquille the Dog

            Scott Christopher
            
See full cast