Film Review: BASEketball (1998)

Losers and underdogs triumphing against the odds is one of the most common tropes of Hollywood sports films. However, sometimes the formula can be slightly altered, like, for example, losers and underdogs triumphing by inventing the sport in which they can be winners for a change. This concept is basis for BASEketball, 1998 comedy directed by David Zucker.

The protagonists are Joe “Coop” Cooper (played by Trey Parker) and Doug Remer (played by Matt Stone), two men from Milwaukee who didn’t accomplish much decade after high school. During high school reunion they are challenged to one-on-one basketball game by their former classmates. They decide to even the odds by offering to play by their own rules, making the game a mix of basketball and baseball. The game, which is named BASEketball, gradually becomes popular in the neighbourhood and after a while this catches attention of Ted Danslow (played by Ernest Borgnine), billionaire who decide to hire them to build professional team known as Milwaukee Beers and start professional league. Years later, BASEketball is the most popular sport in USA and the quality of game is helped by rules that prevent athletes from transfering into another teams or teams from leaving their home cities. This is something that Baxter Cain (played by Robert Vaughn), owner of rival team, would very much like to change. Opportunity comes with Danslow’s death and Cain uses obscure clause in billionaire’s death to try take control over Beers. This could prevented if Beers win the championship, but things get complicated for Coop and Remer when they get infatuated with Jenna Reed (played by Yasmine Bleeth), beautiful director of foundation that helps mortally ill children.

BASEketball was supposed to be big hit of 1998 blockbuster season, but it turned out to be a major box office disappointment. The result was quite surprising because of the reputation of the people involved. The film was directed by David Zucker, one of the co-authors of megahit parody Airplane! and author of popular Naked Gun series. A year before the film Parker and Stone, who play the lead characters, have began their journey to television glory with inventive and irreverent animated series South Park. Two of them are talented voice actors and some of that talent can be sensed in their rare live action performance. Coop and Doug are more than adequate in their roles and create good “buudy buddy” chemistry. Their work are complemented by old Hollywood legends like Borgnine and Vaughn who apparently have good time playing characters in unambitious and irreverent comedy. Quality of humour varies a lot, with many weak and repetitive jokes, including those that, like with so many uninspired Hollywood comedies, resort to various bodily functions. However, there are enough good jokes and relatively short running time makes the experience bearable for less demanding audience. Parker and Stone mostly didn’t work on the script and commercial fiasco didn’t affect their career. This wasn’t the case with Yasmine Bleeth, fashion model and Baywatch star who at the time enjoyed status of one of the world sexiest women. BASEketball, which was her most ambitious venture on the big screen, earned her a Razzie nomination and its failure all but ended her career, further affected with drug-related issues.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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