Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

Confession: the hero of Dodgeball is the least funny person in it. Vince Vaughn plays most of the movie at the energy level of a substitute teacher on a Friday afternoon, and that’s fine, because the film belongs to everyone around him. Ben Stiller’s White Goodman is a fitness tycoon with a puffed-up mustache and zero self-awareness, and Stiller goes so big he nearly floats away. Rip Torn’s Patches O’Houlihan trains the team by hurling wrenches at them, the most famous coaching method in movie history. Gary Cole’s announcer delivers total nonsense with the calm of a real sports broadcast. The weak spot is everything between the matches: the romance with Christine Taylor’s Kate is cardboard, and some jokes punch down in ways that haven’t aged well. It made $168.4 million worldwide on a reported $20M. A 6.6 because the side characters are legends and the main plot is a gym membership form. $8,432 says somebody tosses you a set of keys this week and you flinch like it’s a wrench.

What works: Ben Stiller’s unhinged villain, Rip Torn’s wrench-throwing coach and the deadpan announcers are all comedy gold.

What doesn’t: Vince Vaughn coasts, the romance is flat, and a handful of jokes punch down in ways that have aged poorly.

Who it’s for: Anyone who was picked last in gym class and still holds a small grudge about it.