The Comebacks
Encyclopedia
The Comebacks is a 2007 American satirical
comedy film
directed by Tom Brady
. This film is a parody
of the clichés and plots of the sports film genre. In the UK, Greece, Finland and Australia this film is called Sports Movie and called Team of Crazy in Brazil. The movie was released into theaters on October 19, 2007.
) is pathetic. He has the distinction of being the worst coach in the history of sports anyone can recall. A loser of enormous proportions, the incompetent and seemingly hopeless coach is convinced by fellow coach Freddie Wiseman (Carl Weathers
) to return to the field for one last shot. Assuring his long suffering wife, Barb (Melora Hardin
), that he will not ignore his family, Coach moves them to Plainfolk, Texas where he hopes to redeem himself and his reputation. Here he begins yet another attempt to improve his abysmal record - this time as the coach of the football team at Heartland State University. But he is saddled with a team of misfits - most of whom don't know the difference between a line of scrimmage and a line at the cafeteria.
Although the team and townsfolk are leery of the newcomer's approach, the Coach uses his unorthodox methods to whip this group of rag-tags into shape - both on and off the field. While the audience follows their winding road to the playoffs, the film pokes fun at the clichés and conventions of other sports flicks. And the team does make progress, so much so that they actually make it to the South-Southwest Conference Championship at the 2nd Annual Toilet Bowl.
Facing their fiercest opponents yet and yearning to win the big game, The Comebacks face off with the Lone Star State Unbeatables. And as every great sports team has always done, The Comebacks use ingenuity and unorthodox measures in the final showdown where the best team win. The Comebacks are victorious, but Lambeau is subsequently knocked down in a surprise attack by a bus with Freddie driving it, who laughs manically as Lambeau is in pain . Lambeau groans in agony.
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Tom Brady
Tom Brady (film director)
Tom Brady is a director, writer and producer. He directed The Hot Chick, The Comebacks, and Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star. His television writing credits include work for The Critic, Sports Night, The Simpsons and Home Improvement. He is an alumnus of Harvard and the University of Hawaii at...
. This film is a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the clichés and plots of the sports film genre. In the UK, Greece, Finland and Australia this film is called Sports Movie and called Team of Crazy in Brazil. The movie was released into theaters on October 19, 2007.
Plot
Coach Lambeau Fields (David KoechnerDavid Koechner
David Michael Koechner is an American comedian, musician, and character actor. Koechner began studying improvisational comedy in Chicago at the ImprovOlympic, under the teachings of Del Close, before joining the Second City Northwest...
) is pathetic. He has the distinction of being the worst coach in the history of sports anyone can recall. A loser of enormous proportions, the incompetent and seemingly hopeless coach is convinced by fellow coach Freddie Wiseman (Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers is an American actor, as well as former professional football player in the United States and Canada. He is best known for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky series of films...
) to return to the field for one last shot. Assuring his long suffering wife, Barb (Melora Hardin
Melora Hardin
Melora Diane Hardin is an American actress, best known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's The Office and Trudy Monk on USA's Monk.-Early life:...
), that he will not ignore his family, Coach moves them to Plainfolk, Texas where he hopes to redeem himself and his reputation. Here he begins yet another attempt to improve his abysmal record - this time as the coach of the football team at Heartland State University. But he is saddled with a team of misfits - most of whom don't know the difference between a line of scrimmage and a line at the cafeteria.
Although the team and townsfolk are leery of the newcomer's approach, the Coach uses his unorthodox methods to whip this group of rag-tags into shape - both on and off the field. While the audience follows their winding road to the playoffs, the film pokes fun at the clichés and conventions of other sports flicks. And the team does make progress, so much so that they actually make it to the South-Southwest Conference Championship at the 2nd Annual Toilet Bowl.
Facing their fiercest opponents yet and yearning to win the big game, The Comebacks face off with the Lone Star State Unbeatables. And as every great sports team has always done, The Comebacks use ingenuity and unorthodox measures in the final showdown where the best team win. The Comebacks are victorious, but Lambeau is subsequently knocked down in a surprise attack by a bus with Freddie driving it, who laughs manically as Lambeau is in pain . Lambeau groans in agony.
Cast
- David KoechnerDavid KoechnerDavid Michael Koechner is an American comedian, musician, and character actor. Koechner began studying improvisational comedy in Chicago at the ImprovOlympic, under the teachings of Del Close, before joining the Second City Northwest...
as Coach Lambeau FieldLambeau FieldLambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
s, the coach of the Heartland Comebacks - Carl WeathersCarl WeathersCarl Weathers is an American actor, as well as former professional football player in the United States and Canada. He is best known for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky series of films...
as Freddie Wiseman, the coach of the Lone Star State Unbeatables - Melora HardinMelora HardinMelora Diane Hardin is an American actress, best known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's The Office and Trudy Monk on USA's Monk.-Early life:...
as Barb Fields, the wife of Lambeau Fields - Brooke NevinBrooke NevinBrooke Candice Nevin is a Canadian actress, best known for portraying Rachel Berenson on the science fiction series Animorphs and currently starring as Julianne "Jules" Simms on Breakout Kings, as well as Sonja Lester on Call Me Fitz...
as Michelle Fields, the daughter of Lambeau Fields - Andy DickAndy DickAndrew R. "Andy" Dick is an American comedian, actor, musician and television/film producer. His first regular television role was on the short-lived but highly influential Ben Stiller Show. In the mid-1990s, he had a long-running stint on NBC's NewsRadio...
as Toilet Bowl Referee - Robert Ri'chardRobert Ri'chardRobert Andrew Ri'chard is an American television and movie actor.-Early life:Ri'chard was born Robert Andrew Richard in Los Angeles, California...
as Acl Tare , a talented running back who lives up to his name - Noureen DeWulfNoureen DeWulfNoureen DeWulf is an Indian American actress. She is best known for her roles in films like West Bank Story, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and The Back-Up Plan.-Early life:...
as Jizminder Featherfoot, the kicker for the Comebacks. Originally a soccer prodigyChild prodigyA child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
, Coach Fields saw her kicking skills and recruited her. - Matthew LawrenceMatthew LawrenceMatthew William Lawrence is an American actor known for his leading role in the movie Cheats with Trevor Fehrman and his role of Jack Hunter on the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World from 1997 to 2000, and his roles in movies such as The Hot Chick, The Comebacks, and Mrs...
as Lance Truman, the quarterback of the Comebacks - Nick SearcyNick SearcyNick Searcy is an American actor who currently portrays Chief DeputyUnited States Marshal Art Mullen on FX's Justified. He also had a major role in the Tom Hanks produced miniseries From the Earth to the Moon as Deke Slayton....
as Mr. Truman, Lance's father. He works as a drag queenDrag queenA drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
, imitating CherCherCher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
and Christina AguileraChristina AguileraChristina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
. - Jackie LongJackie LongJackie Long is an American actor, writer, producer, singer, director, comedian, and musician from Pasadena, California...
as Trotter, the macho wide receiver. - Jesse GarciaJesse GarciaJesse Garcia is an American actor.Garcia starred in the award-winning film Quinceañera, written and directed by Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer with executive producer Todd Haynes, which won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival in the Dramatic...
as Jorge Juanson, the receiver on the Comebacks. - George BackGeorge Back (actor)George Back is an American actor. He currently stars in the Nickelodeon original series Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures as Three Pieces. He has also had roles in the feature films The Comebacks and Horrible Bosses .-Filmography:...
as Buddy Boy, the lineman of the comebacks. - Martin SpanjersMartin SpanjersMartin Ryan Spanjers is an American actor. He is best known for playing the role of Rory Hennessy in the short-lived ABC television sitcom 8 Simples Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.-Life and career:...
as Randy Randinger, the towel boy of the Comebacks. - Stacy KeiblerStacy KeiblerStacy Keibler is an American actress, model, and former professional wrestler and valet, best known for her work with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment ....
as AllasAmerican Mom, a character in the toilet bowl halftime showHalftime showA halftime show is a performance given during halftime, the period between the first and second halves, or the second and third quarters, of a sporting event. Halftime shows are not given for sports with an irregular or indeterminate number of divisions , or for sports that do not have an extended...
. - Drew LacheyDrew LacheyAndrew John "Drew" Lachey is an American singer and actor, known as a member of 98 Degrees, the winner of the second season of Dancing with the Stars, and the younger brother of Nick Lachey.-Early years:...
as AllasAmerican Dad, a character in the toilet bowl halftime showHalftime showA halftime show is a performance given during halftime, the period between the first and second halves, or the second and third quarters, of a sporting event. Halftime shows are not given for sports with an irregular or indeterminate number of divisions , or for sports that do not have an extended...
. - Jason Sklar and Randy Sklar as Superfans
- Frank CaliendoFrank CaliendoFrank Caliendo is an American comedian and impressionist, best known for his work on the Fox Network television series MADtv, and as the in-house prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday. In 2007 and 2008, he performed his impersonations on his own show, Frank TV, which aired on TBS...
as Chip ImitationJohn Madden (American football)John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into... - Jermaine WilliamsJermaine WilliamsJermaine Williams is an American actor and dancer. He dances for the Norwood Kids Foundation.He is appeared in the spoof film The Comebacks as iPod. He was Mush Mouth in Fat Albert...
as iPod, a youth who acts dumb and humps people's legs in order to get attention. His actions are revealed in the 4th Quarter of the last game when Coach came to him for a play which he responds with disgust for not asking him earlier. - Shannon Woodward as Cheerleader Emily
- Tarah PaigeTarah PaigeTarah Paige is an American gymnast, dancer and actress. She has played minor and supporting roles in various television shows and movies, including Malcolm in the Middle, A Cinderella Story, Stick It, Bring It On: All or Nothing, and The Summoning...
as Cheerleader Heidi - Paige Schuster as Cheerleader Jenny
- Jennifer Brausuell as Cheerleader Sammy
- David BlueDavid Blue (actor)David Blue is an American actor, writer, producer and director. He is best known for his portrayal of Cliff St. Paul on Ugly Betty and Eli Wallace on the Syfy series Stargate Universe.-Early life:...
as Lacrosse Partygoer - Jillian Grace as Maria Sharapova
- Eric Christian OlsenEric Christian OlsenEric Christian Olsen is an American actor. He currently portrays Detective Marty Deeks on the CBS television series NCIS: Los Angeles.-Early life:...
as Foreign Exchange Student - Kai Brady as Young Lance
- Dennis RodmanDennis RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
as Warden - Bradley CooperBradley CooperBradley Cooper is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Hangover, The A-Team, and Limitless. In 2011, People magazine named Cooper "Sexiest Man Alive".-Early life:...
as Cowboy - Dax ShepardDax ShepardDax Randall Shepard is an American actor.- Early life :Shepard was born in Milford, Michigan and attended Muir Junior High and Walled Lake Central High School, before enrolling in The Groundlings school. He later received a degree in anthropology at UCLA...
as Sheriff - Jon GriesJon GriesJonathan Francis "Jon" Gries is an American actor, writer and director. He is also credited under the names Jon Francis and Jonathan Gries. He is known for his role in Napoleon Dynamite as Uncle Rico, and more recently as recurring character Roger Linus on Lost...
as Barber - Will ArnettWill ArnettWilliam Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
as Mailman - Maurice LaMarcheMaurice LaMarcheMaurice LaMarche is an Emmy Award winning Canadian-American voice actor and former stand up comedian. He is best known for his voicework in Futurama as Kif Kroker, as Egon Spengler in The Real Ghostbusters, Verminous Skumm and Duke Nukem in Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Big Bob Pataki in Hey...
as Announcer - Holmes OsborneHolmes OsborneHolmes Osborne is an American actor, best known for starring in Richard Kelly's films - Donnie Darko , Southland Tales and The Box . He's also played the father of Guy Patterson in the movie That Thing You Do!, and starred in the movie Bring it On. He has made appearances in TV shows such as...
as Man in suit - Kerri KenneyasSilver as Sports Judge
- Lawrence TaylorLawrence TaylorLawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
as Himself - Michael IrvinMichael IrvinMichael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
as Himself - Eric DickersonEric DickersonEric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
as Himself - Linda CohnLinda CohnLinda Cohn is an American sportscaster. She regularly anchors ESPN's SportsCenter.-Early life and education:As a teenager, Cohn, a New Yorker, demonstrated talent at ice hockey, making her high school's boys team...
as Sportscaster (Uncredited) - Sara Ranken as Mr. Blah
Parodies
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