A broad, aggressively silly sports comedy that works best as a quotable, fast-moving underdog farce. It’s not subtle, but the cast, absurd gags, and mock-epic tournament structure make it an easy crowd-pleaser for viewers who like raunchy early-2000s studio comedies.
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Comedy
Fri · 1h 33m
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, Ben Stiller
Overview
When megalomaniacal White Goodman, the owner of a trendy, high-end fitness center, makes a move to take over the struggling local gym run by happy-go-lucky Pete La Fleur, there's only one way for La Fleur to fight back: dodgeball. Aided by a dodgeball guru and Goodman's attorney, La Fleur and his rag-tag team of underdogs launch a knock-down, drag-out battle in which the winner takes all.
Director
Rawson Marshall Thurber
Cast
Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, Ben Stiller
Curator Review
Verdict
A broad, aggressively silly sports comedy that works best as a quotable, fast-moving underdog farce. It’s not subtle, but the cast, absurd gags, and mock-epic tournament structure make it an easy crowd-pleaser for viewers who like raunchy early-2000s studio comedies.
Best for
fans of quotable ensemble comedies
viewers who like dumb-but-clever sports movies
people in the mood for broad parody and physical comedy
group watches and nostalgia rewatches
Skip if
you dislike crude humor or juvenile jokes
you want grounded character comedy
you need a comedy with emotional depth or realism
you’re tired of early-2000s studio raunch
Overview
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story is built like a live-action cartoon: loud, shameless, and committed to every ridiculous bit. The movie’s joke density is high, and it leans hard on caricature, catchphrases, and escalating humiliation, which is exactly why it has lasted as a rewatchable comedy for so many people.
Worth noting
What gives it staying power is the contrast between the scrappy underdog setup and the hyper-competitive, absurdly polished villain energy of White Goodman. The film understands that the joke is not really dodgeball; it’s ego, vanity, and the joy of watching idiots take a game far too seriously.
Bottom line
It’s uneven, and some of the comedy is very much of its era, but the pace is brisk and the set pieces land often enough to keep it buoyant. If you want a clean, smart sports drama, look elsewhere; if you want a dumb, quotable, surprisingly sturdy studio comedy, this still delivers.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Quintin (3★) · 4991 likes
When I was 13 I thought this was the funniest film ever. I would watch this every weekend and shit my little pants at people throwing rubber balls at each other. Unfortunately the only other thing I was into at the ripe age of 13... was girls. Which meant I was bound to get these two passions of mine mixed together. I would go up to a girl and say "Hey do you want to come to my place after… more
Quintin (3★) · 3569 likes
My fiance saw my last review about me showing this to all my ex girlfriends in high school and wanted to watch it. I made her promise to not leave me afterwards like every other girl in my past. She agreed. After the movie however, she changed the locks of our apartment and sent me a text "That movie was horrible. Enjoy being alone." I lost everything. Now all I have left is my DVD copy of Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story - Unrated Edition.
Britt (3.5★) · 2176 likes
my favorite part is how the unicorn obsession is just entirely brushed over bc everything else is just so wild
molly (2★) · 1817 likes
jason bateman just shows up in everything (i’m not complaining)
Dakota Joaquin (3.5★) · 1505 likes
God I miss the days when comedies could just be cheesy extended SNL skits with the dramatic narrative weight of a fucking paper clip. I swear to God society peaked with this genre of cinema