Kicking & Screaming (2005)

42% of critics liked it
(137 reviews)
49% of users liked it
(67,392 ratings)

Immaturity and poor sportsmanship once again find their firmly established place in children's athletics (at least among the adults) in this sports comedy. Phil Weston (Will Ferrell) is a tightly wound suburban father who had a competitive streak worn into him by his father, Buck (Robert Duvall),… More Immaturity and poor sportsmanship once again find their firmly established place in children's athletics (at least among the adults) in this sports comedy. Phil Weston (Will Ferrell) is a tightly wound suburban father who had a competitive streak worn into him by his father, Buck (Robert Duvall), who never seemed to feel that his son measured up. When Phil's son joins a Little League soccer team, Phil signs on as coach, only to learn that Buck -- who also has a ten-year-old son these days -- will be coaching a team in the same league. Determined to show his father he can do the job, Phil impresses upon his young charges that winning is the only important thing, and soon gains a few enemies as he humiliates not only the kids on his own team, but their opponents as well. Directed by Jesse Dylan, Kicking & Screaming also features Kate Walsh and legendary football coach Mike Ditka. The screenplay was authored by Steve Rudnick and Leo Benvenuti (The Santa Clause) prior to the latter's death in 2000. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: Jesse Dylan
Written By: Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family

In Theaters: May 13, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Oct 11, 2005
Studio: Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press
... barely watchable.
Rex Reed, New York Observer
A zero, but the title describes how the audience is likely to react, perfectly.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Ferrell is one of the film's few bright lights. It's a shame to hide that subversive beacon under a bushel of dully inspirational sports movie cliches.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
As lazy, bloated and TV-screen- friendly as shameless promos come.
Malene Arpe, Toronto Star
If you're into Will Ferrell.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Sit in a room by yourself, look at a blank screen for 90 minutes, and you'll have more of a chance of laughing at your own thoughts than you will at this movie.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
Is this all there is to Ferrell's career? Mediocre comedies, and wasted talent?
Jim Lane, Sacramento News & Review
Director Jesse Dylan, desperate to avoid yawns, flails madly with staging, editing, slow motion -- any trick he can think of, whether it fits or works or not.
Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media
This sometimes obnoxious comedy is no Elf.
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
If this footy film was in a league it would be languishing at the bottom of the Vauxhall Conference.
Stephen Garrett, Time Out New York
Will Ferrell has become the most unlikely embodiment of wholesome family fun since Fred MacMurray gave up film noir for My Three Sons.
Ross Anthony, Hollywood Report Card
The picture is a little about soccer, a little about parenting, and a lot about laughing. Mike Ditka shows up and delivers a kick-butt performance.
Russ Breimeier, Christianity Today
Kicking & Screaming succeeds because it understands its target audience, refraining from playing it too cute or crude. Though predictable, it's well executed.
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is
Mostly useless
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Will Ferrell cria um personagem carismático a partir de um roteiro burocrático e, no processo, consegue divertir e levar o espectador a se envolver com a história.
Pete Vonder Haar, Film Threat
... Kicking & Screaming is not very good.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Kicking and Screaming feels as if it were callously vomited out by a machine, along with a couple of spare parts and some putrid grease.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Robert Duvall is superb (his love of football is well-documented) and seems to really enjoy playing a comic variation of his sports-obsessed father in the classic The Great Santini.
Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News (Maine)
Gets the job done for its core audience of tots%u2014and for no one else.
Keith Phipps, AV Club
This isn't the worst setup for a kiddie comedy, but it proves that Ferrell alone can't carry a film.

Read all 20 critic reviews

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

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Featured Audience Ratings

John M

Will Ferrel as Will Ferrel. . a decent movie but hes playing the same role he has played in a lot of movies.
Brad W

Im sorry if you didnt like this, but I just enjoyed it. Will Ferell is my favorite comedian, and man this movie would suck without him. The story and everything else is pretty weak, but Ferell makes it work. With a few cliche and dumb moments, this movie was just okay, but Ferell… More
Im sorry if you didnt like this, but I just enjoyed it. Will Ferell is my favorite comedian, and man this movie would suck without him. The story and everything else is pretty weak, but Ferell makes it work. With a few cliche and dumb moments, this movie was just okay, but Ferell just naturally made this a funny movie.
Jeff "

Another Will Ferrell vehicle. Kicking & Screaming is more of the same garbage that Ferrell serves up. A few snipits of the film are comical, but don't hold up because the humour gets stale and overuused too quickly. The film rellies too much on Ferrell's one trick antics… More
Another Will Ferrell vehicle. Kicking & Screaming is more of the same garbage that Ferrell serves up. A few snipits of the film are comical, but don't hold up because the humour gets stale and overuused too quickly. The film rellies too much on Ferrell's one trick antics to create it's humour and doesn't work. Ferrell was pretty good in Zoolander, and decent in Old School; but in this case, big budget studios use the same formula for every film he stars in, and use his one dimensional comedy to try to make something funny. It worked for maybe three films, but when you've spent 7 films doing the same thing, it gets old. Avoid.
KJ P

Will Ferrel is great, and that's what saves this average comedy!
Thomas B

this is a pretty funny flick. the ending is sappy for sure and everything is resolved in two minutes, but their are lots of laughs.
Film C

i dont normally like will farrell but this is an alright movie really its funny and clever and sweet and has a hidden meaning. will farrell plays as a character called phil who was really negalected by his dad he ends becoming a football coach like his dad but doesnt want to be… More
i dont normally like will farrell but this is an alright movie really its funny and clever and sweet and has a hidden meaning. will farrell plays as a character called phil who was really negalected by his dad he ends becoming a football coach like his dad but doesnt want to be anything like his dad but through it he does and it takes him time to realise the real reason why he became the soccer coach its a nice heart warming funny movie!! worth a watch!!
Lenny M

Not bad, not great, has some memorable lines and scenes that make the film enjoyable more than once.
Jose Z

This movie is hardly enjoyable, I think that it wasn't the best decition from Will Ferrell to make this film. the plot seems kinda weak and with some holes in the story. I feel it a little childish at some moments. The cast was decent, the kids were very funny specially the… More
This movie is hardly enjoyable, I think that it wasn't the best decition from Will Ferrell to make this film. the plot seems kinda weak and with some holes in the story. I feel it a little childish at some moments. The cast was decent, the kids were very funny specially the little chinese, the two italian boys great soccer players, Will Ferrell begings with a decent and moderated performance butas the movie continues he begans to transform in the same Ferrell that screams and makes faceand that mostly of the time he is very funny, but in this movie I feel thet he exagerates, he looks so overacted and he began to be annoying. the one that delivers a good and convincing performance in my opinion was Robert Duvall, I never thought that he could be that funny. Another person that really surprises me was Mike Ditka although his role wasn't hard or difficult, he managed it very well and with some very funny moments of his performance. These two people and the moral messages were the one's that make this movie a little worthy. I conclussion, a movie not worthy for cinemas, maybe for a boring sunday at home just to spend time.
Drew S

A completely and utterly unfunny comedy movie. I walked out after about an hour. Will Ferrell totally fails here.
Stuart B

Not one of Will Ferrells best movies but he us always a joy to watch and Im sure it could keep the younger of us amused. I enjoyed it, but that is more about Ferrells performance than the film itself.
James A

Strike one Ferrell.
Bradley W

Im sorry if you didnt like this, but I just enjoyed it. Will Ferell is my favorite comedian, and man this movie would suck without him. The story and everything else is pretty weak, but Ferell makes it work. With a few cliche and dumb moments, this movie was just okay, but Ferell… More
Im sorry if you didnt like this, but I just enjoyed it. Will Ferell is my favorite comedian, and man this movie would suck without him. The story and everything else is pretty weak, but Ferell makes it work. With a few cliche and dumb moments, this movie was just okay, but Ferell just naturally made this a funny movie.
Burger S

There is a much better movie with this same title with Eric Stoltz, Parker Posey & Eliott Gould. See that one.
Bryce I

It's a major dissapointment for both Will Ferrell, and for mediocre scripts. With nothing more than overused humor, this comedy relies on only Ferrell's comedic talent, and slow motion sketch shots.
Jackson W

Although Will Farrell is irritatingly loud in this one, it does not fail to become a soccer "Little Giants" possessing humor through the lives of child athletes.
Juan C

will ferrel is hillarious at this role as a father who goes on to be a crazed caffine powered, hillariously aggrasive machine! A
Christopher H

"Juice Box! Everyone wave goodbye to juice box! Literally wave goodbye to juice box." Hilarious as I thought it would be. Will Ferrell is the greatest. Loved watching him push kids down and taunt them like only he can.
Andrew F

I was definately disappointed by this. At some times, it is funny, but it is also really weird. Will Ferrell isn't that great in this. The only good thing is all the angry parents. Don't waste your money on it. What's up with the coffee thing??? Mike Ditka is… More
I was definately disappointed by this. At some times, it is funny, but it is also really weird. Will Ferrell isn't that great in this. The only good thing is all the angry parents. Don't waste your money on it. What's up with the coffee thing??? Mike Ditka is terrible in this, and whoever cast him in this role should be fired.
Mike T

Will Ferrell is amusing in this light, entertaining flick that kids will love.
shane h

I am a die hard Will Ferrell fan and I'm sure that there isn't a movie that he could do that I wouldn't like. Will comes from a soccer family where his father was a junior league coach and coached him as a boy and wouldn't play him. When Will's son joins the… More
I am a die hard Will Ferrell fan and I'm sure that there isn't a movie that he could do that I wouldn't like. Will comes from a soccer family where his father was a junior league coach and coached him as a boy and wouldn't play him. When Will's son joins the Gladiators his father keeps Will's son on the bench too. The coach played by Robert Duvall is more concerned with winning than making his son or grandson happy. Will decides to put his son on a rival team and finds that the coach has come up missing. Will takes the job and finds himself caught up in the competition of the game and with his father, not only to beat him but to win the approval he never got as a child. Alot of fun slap stick humor that is Apatow and Ferrell.