Kicking & Screaming
Universal Pictures | Release Date: May 13, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
45
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
12
Negative:
10
Watch Now
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
Ferrell's ideally suited to man-boy characters, and that's what Phil Weston is in "Kicking." Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Some scenes are just silly, others are dead-on uproarious. Ditka, a real-life football legend, is a real find as our hero's assistant. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
An entertaining family movie, and may serve a useful purpose if it inspires kids to overthrow their coaches and take over their own sports. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterMichael Rechtshaffen
Laughs-wise, it lacks the raucous edge of an "Old School" or "Anchorman" or the retro charm of an "Elf," but there's still plenty of Will-power to fuel this likable underdog trifle. It certainly is more enjoyable than a lot of what passes for family entertainment these days. Read full review
70
VarietyScott Foundas
An immensely likable, funny comedy that finds a novel approach to that familiar combo of kids and sports. Read full review
70
Dallas ObserverLuke Y. Thompson
This might be the most predictable movie of the year, but at least it delivers everything you expect it to. Read full review
70
NewsweekDavid Ansen
It's all kept light and funny, but underlying the broad sight gags is a movie that actually has something to say about competition, fathers and sons, machismo and caffeine. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Kicking & Screaming may be a prefab cartoon out of the "Bad News Bears" cookie cutter, but Ferrell doesn't just save this junk -- he rules it. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneRobert K. Elder
It's Ferrell who is the vehicle, a mow-you-down comic engine, and everyone else is just along for the ride in this marginally effective, starkly unoriginal family comedy. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
For soccer aficionados, Kicking & Screaming boasts some fairly cool play, courtesy of Alessandro Ruggiero and Francesco Liotti, two kids who play "the Italians." Read full review
63
New York PostKyle Smith
R0bert Duvall as a pee wee soccer coach? Great idea, but Kicking and Screaming should have had him roar, "I love the smell of juice boxes in the morning." Read full review
60
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
There aren't any big laughs, but there's a steady supply of small ones, and with his overgrown-kid persona Ferrell seems more comfortable in a family comedy than, say, Eddie Murphy. Read full review
50
Village VoiceMatt Singer
Even the intermittent laughs undermine Kicking and its winning-isn't-everything message. Read full review
50
The New York TimesDana Stevens
At best, this film is half-inflated. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust
A threadbare comedy glomming onto the ample talent of its star, Will Ferrell. Read full review
50
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
It never quite takes off. Read full review
50
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
It's not brilliant by any means, but bright enough to light up an overly familiar feel-good story. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Leah McLaren
Luckily for the viewer, Ferrell is an irresistible presence. His occasional moments of unwarranted weirdness are the only thing that makes this otherwise pedestrian movie bearable (let alone interesting) to watch. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy Burr
It would have been nice if someone had included a script, too. Read full review
50
PremiereKevin Allison
Relatively harmless fun, although it does make you wish Ferrell would do more risky, rule-bending work like "Anchorman." Enough with the generic star vehicles man, write thee a screenplay again! Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
A sweet, inoffensive, achingly laughless comedy. Read full review
40
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
My own little critic-in-training laughed her head off. Lacks taste, must try harder. Read full review
40
EmpireDan Jolin
This year's Dodgeball? Not a chance. Ferrell admirably tackles the so-so material, but it soon defeats him. Read full review
38
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
Even a soccer-savvy audience has better things to do - like instilling unsportsmanlike behavior in their kids or sabotaging rival teams. Read full review
30
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
This is little more than a big-budget sitcom, with a guest appearance by Mike Ditka, who plays an unfunny version of himself as Phil's assistant coach.
30
Film ThreatPete Vonder Haar
Even understanding the audience for which Kicking & Screaming is aiming, it's hard not to notice the flaws. Read full review
30
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Roughly as entertaining as watching your neighbor's kid's soccer game, not because you want to, but because you have to. Read full review
30
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
The heart of the problem may be that real life youth-sports insanity has far exceeded the bounds of family-friendly comedy. Read full review
25
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
Crushingly inept family comedy. Read full review
25
USA TodayClaudia Puig
A good script is the most essential ingredient for a good movie. Hiring a comedian isn't enough. Read full review
25
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
Not only not funny, it's unfunny. It kills humor. Sit in a room by yourself, look at a blank screen for 90 minutes, and you'll have more of a chance of laughing at your own thoughts than you will at this movie. Read full review
25
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
Too bad the director ties everyone's laces together and they all go down in a jumble. Read full review
20
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
If its made-for-TV sensibility explains its chaotically blobby shooting style, it doesn't clarify a plot so painfully padded that it looks for laughs in strange digressive asides regarding bratwurst and coffee. Read full review
More From This Movie

45 Critic Reviews

8.4 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL