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Movies / On DVD / National Lampoon's Blackball
National Lampoon's Blackball

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National Lampoon's Blackball (2004)

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38 %
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Reviews Counted:13

Fresh:5

Rotten:8

Average Rating:4.8/10

Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: In the world of spectator sports, there are of course the all time greats: Football, Rugby, Tennis, Golf and… Lawn Bowls...? In the sleepy seaside town of Torquay, on “The English Riviera”, the... In the world of spectator sports, there are of course the all time greats: Football, Rugby, Tennis, Golf and… Lawn Bowls...? In the sleepy seaside town of Torquay, on “The English Riviera”, the game reserved for geriatrics and pensioners is taken VERY seriously. None more so than by the reigning champion Ray Speight (JAMES CROMWELL), conservative and stuffy he has been Torquay’s home grown hero for over 20 years… but now his title is threatened. Cliff Starkey (PAUL KAYE) a young pretender from the wrong side of town, is daring to go up against him. Armed with his sexy bad-boy persona, a flashy American agent Rick (VINCE VAUGHN) and an army of screaming female fans, Cliff is a fresh and exciting new sex symbol in the game. In fact, he is fast turning Lawn Bowls into the biggest spectator sport in England - possibly the World!!! To add insult to injury, Cliff’s biggest fan is his new girlfriend Kerry (ALICE EVANS)... Ray’s daughter! This hilarious and life affirming new British comedy is a classic tale of triumph over adversity that will quite literally bowl you over! -- © Icon Film Distribution [More]

Starring: James Cromwell, Alice Evans, Vince Vaughn

Starring: James Cromwell, Alice Evans, Vince Vaughn


Studio: First Look

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Reviews for National Lampoon's Blackball

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1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
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Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
09/18/03
Nev Pierce
Nev Pierce
BBC
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
09/18/03
Channel 4 Film
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Empire Magazine
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/01/03
Guardian [UK]
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
09/18/03
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

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Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
09/18/03
This is London
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out
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Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
09/18/03
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Only occasionally does Blackball rise to the level of something that would stop you from flipping channels on TV.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
02/10/05
Phil Villarreal
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

...another variation on the “snobs versus slobs” formula codified by Caddyshack

Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | comment Comment
02/06/05
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/09/03
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It just winds up as another filmmaking exercise where it’s thought that the story is there, but in reality, it got drunk at the corner bar and puked all over the characters.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
04/07/05
Rory L. Aronsky
Rory L. Aronsky
Film Threat

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

a humorless bit of nonsense

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/10/05
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Shares very little in common with the anarchic humor of the magazine, live shows, records or movies that made the Lampoon name so venerated in the first place.

Full Review Source: FilmJerk.com | comment Comment
02/11/05
Edward Havens
Edward Havens
FilmJerk.com
N/R

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Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
10/07/03
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Blackball is a cinematic dirty bomb, a mediocre “comedy” that offers as many laughs as a dentist’s drill.

Full Review Source: Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN) | comment Comment
02/11/05
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

A fine comic cast, an irreverent script, and a lot of balls.

Full Review Source: Movie Gazette | comment Comment
10/28/03
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Movie Gazette

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Full Review Source: Sunday Times (Australia) | comment Comment
12/22/03
Sunday Times (Australia)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
10/18/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
 
 
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