The Benchwarmers

Though sporadically entertaining and even a little funny, The Benchwarmers is ultimately nothing more than a silly, egregiously sentimental comedy from Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company. The thin storyline follows a trio of losers, Rob Schneider’s Gus, David Spade’s Richie, and Jon Heder’s Clark, as they take on various little league teams in an effort to compensate for their less-than-athletic adolescent years. Directed by Happy Gilmore helmer Dennis Dugan and written by Allen Covert and Nick Swardson (both of whom had a creative hand in the execrable Grandma’s Boy), The Benchwarmers is as disposable and puerile as one might’ve expected – although, in all fairness, there are a few chuckle-worthy moments spread throughout the film’s mercifully brief running time. The movie certainly gets a lot of mileage out of the quirky supporting cast, which is comprised of folks like Jon Lovitz, Tim Meadows, and Craig Kilborn, and there’s little doubt that their mere presence that ensures the whole thing never quite becomes an out-and-out disaster. Then again, all the charisma in the world can’t disguise the inherently predictable nature of the film’s third act – which effectively leaves the proceedings with a heavy-handed and distinctly sour aftertaste.

** out of ****