National Lampoon's Blackball (2003)

38% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
42% of users liked it
(7,177 ratings)

It's the weight of tradition versus youthful vigor when loudmouth Torquay lawn bowling superstar Cliff Starkey (Paul Kaye) catches wind of an upcoming championship match between England and heated rivals Australia. He's determined to make the national team in a bid to bring his sport-of-choice into… More It's the weight of tradition versus youthful vigor when loudmouth Torquay lawn bowling superstar Cliff Starkey (Paul Kaye) catches wind of an upcoming championship match between England and heated rivals Australia. He's determined to make the national team in a bid to bring his sport-of-choice into the new millennium. Quickly acquiring a flashy American agent (Vince Vaughn) and becoming the most popular player in England, Cliff vows to dethrone traditionalist champion Ray Speight (James Cromwell), who has made no secret his hatred of Cliff's brash showmanship. When Cliff starts seeing Ray's daughter, the competition really begins to heat up. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: Mel Smith
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Feb 11, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Feb 15, 2005
Studio: First Look

Critic Reviews

Rory L. Aronsky, Film Threat
It just winds up as another filmmaking exercise where it's thought that the story is there, but in reality, it got drunk at the corner bar and puked all over the characters.
Edward Havens, FilmJerk.com
Shares very little in common with the anarchic humor of the magazine, live shows, records or movies that made the Lampoon name so venerated in the first place.
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Blackball is a cinematic dirty bomb, a mediocre "comedy" that offers as many laughs as a dentist's drill.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
Only occasionally does Blackball rise to the level of something that would stop you from flipping channels on TV.
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
...another variation on the "snobs versus slobs" formula codified by Caddyshack
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
a humorless bit of nonsense

Read all 6 critic reviews

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

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Featured Audience Ratings

Anthony L

National Lampoon? If you say so, it is still a very disappointing film!
John H

Well, besides the unbelievable stupidy and and horrible satiric regime, the foulest feature of this movie was Paul Kaye. I couldn't understand a single word he said. Was he talking or just chewing with his mouth open?... the world may never know
Kylie B

Reasonably entertaining, and though I'm not sure that it's exactly how it happened it's all good fun.
Andrew P

I'll admit it's a difficult one to love, but it was a guilty pleasure that I enjoyed a lot while watching it. It's concept is silly, the acting is stupid but it's a fun little film that has been forgotten through time. A decent enough way to kill an hour and a… More
I'll admit it's a difficult one to love, but it was a guilty pleasure that I enjoyed a lot while watching it. It's concept is silly, the acting is stupid but it's a fun little film that has been forgotten through time. A decent enough way to kill an hour and a half.