I was instantly attracted to the title of this film when I was walking by the Sarasota Film Festival box office. Blackballed
.what could that possibly be about? Moving closer to the film poster I realized that the man in the shot had his back to the frame and was carrying a helmet and a gun with paint splattered on the floor behind him. All I was thinking
this is going to be interesting.
"Blackballed:The Bobby Dukes Story" stars Rob Corddy of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart fame. Corddy plays Bobby Dukes, a once famous paint baller who infamously "wiped" ten years ago (i.e. tried to wipe the paint off of himself in order to stay in the game). Dukes has come back to his roots in New York to prove himself in "The Classics", a paint ball tournament in which he has to face his former friend now nemesis Sam Brown who is married to Dukes' old flame Jill. Dukes' problem: no one wants to play with a "has been", so he has to formulate a new team in a very short period of time.
Enter a Canadian, a drill sergeant, a paint ball referee, a video game enthusiast and Dukes' sister and we have the "Rounds". While the "Rounds" may not be the most compatible group of players, we see the way they connect while preparing for one of the greatest paint ball moments in their lives. Preparation includes drills, kick boxing and facials, (of course
) In the end, the various personalities unite to form a fierce front on the paint ball field with a surprising twist at the end of the tournament, making this a little less cliché than other films we have seen about sports teams.
The film stars some of the folks we see on VH1's popular "Best Week Ever" such as Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel. The other less notable actors make the story that much funnier and add originality to the storyline. The film is shot in a mockumentary style, much like Christopher Guest films such as "Best in Show" according to director Brant Sersen. Sersen, a recreational paint baller, got the idea for the film when he would go out to play on the weekends. He took note of the odd characters around him and was inspired to write the script for "Blackballed". Sersen also mentioned that about 90% of the film was improvised allowing for a lot of original humorous moments, something many Hollywood comedies try to capture, but the timing is frequently off.
I enjoyed "Blackballed" immensely for its' honest characters and storyline as well as the amateur-looking format in which it was filmed. The entire film was shot on digital video, but it works for the comedic, yet simple, story being told. There is never a dull moment in "Blackballed" and the cast of the film plays off each other in refreshing performances. I would recommend this film for anyone looking for a good film about sportsmanship, but also understands the wacky humor attached.
