Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Blackball (2003)
Blackball
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Blackball (2003) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 5 | slideshow) Videos (see all 3)
Blackball (2003) -- A rebellious young British bowls player teams with another older and more traditional player to take on the Australian bowls team.
Blackball (2003) -- A rebellious young British bowls player teams with another older and more traditional player to take on the Australian bowls team.
Blackball (2003) -- A rebellious young British bowls player teams with another older and more traditional player to take on the Australian bowls team.

Overview

User Rating:
5.3/10   1,934 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Mel Smith
Writer:
Tim Firth (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Blackball on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
5 September 2003 (UK) more
Genre:
Comedy | Drama | Sport more
Tagline:
At last, a sportsman the British can be proud of... more
Plot:
A rebellious young British bowls player teams with another older and more traditional player to take on the Australian bowls team. full summary | add synopsis
User Comments:
A lazily written script, plus the always unfunny Vince Vaughn. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
National Lampoon's Blackball (USA) (video title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for language.
Runtime:
96 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Filming Locations:
London, England, UK more
Company:
Midfield Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Mel Smith confessed that five minutes before they started filming they realized everyone was absolutely useless at playing lawn bowls. more
Goofs:
Continuity: There is paper confetti all over the floor of the indoor bowling green for the England Vs Australia match, in the next shot there is none. more
Movie Connections:
References Beverly Hills Cop (1984) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
A lazily written script, plus the always unfunny Vince Vaughn., 9 October 2008
5/10
Author: fedor8 (fedor8@yahoo.com) from Serbia

At some point the British had decided to emulate the Americans hence started making formulaic comedies. What exactly is a "formula comedy"? It is a movie that starts off fairly okay (sometimes not even that), then gradually becomes sentimental i.e. runs out of gags, and ends in a supposedly exciting but actually utterly predictable finale devoid of jokes. Interestingly enough, the British formula comedy is usually worse than the average American one. The Brits still churn out terrific comedy material for television, but when it comes to the big screen all that potential and talent becomes a puff of mysteriously disappearing smoke.

The soundtrack is typical formulaic comedy crap: sappy pop tunes alternating with elevator music.

Paul Kaye tries his best with a script that is lame beyond belief. The only laugh-worthy moment in the entire movie comes very early on with the astrological-wallpaper/"I'm an astronomer" gag. I presume that if this sports comedy had been made in the States, that Adam Sandler would have been cast as Cliff Starkey: THAT'S the kind of shoddy/cliché writing we're talking about here. The fact that Vince Vaughn is in this should serve rather more than just as a warning...

To see Paul Kaye at his terrific best, check out his X-rated(?) MTV series "Strutter", or his 90s character Dennis Pennis, a pre-Ali G mock U.S. journalist who ridicules celebrities by asking them insulting questions ("Anyone For Pennis?", "VIP: Very Important Pennis".)

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Blackball (2003)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
What does Cliff call out when he wins? rob-2430
The Funniest Scene? marvelousmarve
Is this movie funny????? shurlz99
Questions Jono333-1
Is this a National Lampoon movie?? kennethcoker1982-1
His Black Jacket pete_dobson309
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Cars So This Is College Slap Shot Van Wilder Notes on a Scandal
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb UK section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.