SCHAFFER_REVIEWS

Running Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Release Date: April 7, 2006 by [|Columbia Pictures] MPAA Rating: PG-13 for crude and suggestive humor, and for language Directed by: [|Dennis Dugan] Screenwriters: [|Allen Covert] and [|Nick Swardson] Producer: [|Adam Sandler] and [|Jack Giarraputo]

[|Rob Schneider,] [|David Spade], and [|Jon Heder]: three of the most well known comedic actors in the biz. Put them all together, and you get //[|The Benchwarmers]//, a humorous and witty feature film about stereotypical “nerds” getting revenge on bullies over a harmless game of baseball. Or is it. Hard working Gus, (Rob Schneider) a landscape gardener with a passion for baseball, 39 year old virgin Richie (David Spade), and mamas boy paper deliverer Clark, (Jon Heder), are determined to stand up to the young jocks in a Little League team in order to make a name for the underage geeks who don’t know what its like to play the game; Specifically, Nelson ([|Max Prado]), a young nerdy kid who commonly gets picked on. Gus, Richie, and Clark form a three man baseball team and shockingly take on the mean bully team, with the help of Gus’ exceptional pitching and hitting skills. Forming a large fan base of similar left out kids, they (the “benchwarmers”) continue to participate in a tournament ready to face the mean, athlete, or shall I say, a-tha-lete, teams in the state. Although at times, the humor in the movie can be rather immature and almost stupid, the plot is actually morally educational. With an ethical message that proves that geeks and weirdo’s can stand up to and defeat their bullies, the movie provides a lesson suggesting that we all just get along. However, this movie lies under the category of entertainment, with the main focus being the sarcasm and humor displayed in the script. The best and funniest part of the movie is simple. The characters. While Rob Schneider takes on a more serious and believable character, Jon Heder and David Spade are complete opposite. Both play brainless, immature, and innocent roles with no common sense. The directors made the correct choice in casting these actors the lead roles. Barely taken seriously, these men are famously known for their silly, potty, cynical wittiness. They create a sense of belief, that gets the audience almost in character with the goofy three musketeers. These rolls are the perfect fit for such amusing characters. This heartfelt hilarious movie brings out my inner youth and sense of humor. While the movie is utterly absurd, there is something about it that makes me come back for every time I watch. Critics claim: “You’ll be hard-pressed to watch this film without laughing out loud at some point. Amazingly, the audience actually manages to develop a rapport with the characters, which is rare for a film of this genre. The universal ability to relate to the benchwarmer caste is probably the number one reason why. It's touching. It's ridiculous. It's outright funny. In short, The //Benchwarmers// is one of those movies you'll either love or hate depending on the mood you're in when you see it. If you're hungry for a probing drama, then stay away. But if you're looking for some silly fun, this is the film for you...”

My rating: 3 stars/ 4 stars