BASEketball (1998)
70%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 2 nominations
Baseketball isn’t just a succession of fouls thanks to the comedic zip of David Zucker’s direction, but sophomoric gags and a lack of performance hustle by Trey Parker and Matt Stone makes this satire a clumsy bunt
If you’re looking for a movie that’s both dumb and funny, then BASEketball is the perfect choice. Sure, it’s not going to win any awards for its humor, but it’s still a good time. The banter between the two main characters can be a bit much at times, but it’s all part of the charm. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to see Jenny McCarthy and Ernest Borgnine together on screen? Overall, BASEketball is a solid choice for a night in with friends and some beers.
Production Company(ies)
Horizon Pictures,
Distributor
MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena – 3939 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong language and crude sex-related humor
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 43m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 28, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 7, 2005
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
Baseketball, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, David Zucker, Gil Netter, Robert LoCash, Lewis Friedman, Jeff Wright, Comedy, R, English, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Vaughn, Yasmine Bleeth, Jenny McCarthy, Surrounded, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS, Flat, 35mm, $7.0M, reviewed by Owen Gleiberman, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Jeff Giles, Bilge Ebiri, Michael O’Sullivan, Leonard Klady, David Nusair, Leigh Paatsch, Maitland McDonagh, Chuck O’Leary, Rebecca Murray, Emanuel Levy, Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, So I Married an Axe Murderer, Stigmata, Out Cold, White Men Can’t Jump, Marvel Movies in Order, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Sea Beast, Black Bird, directed by David Zucker, produced by Gil Netter, Robert LoCash, written by David Zucker, Robert LoCash, Lewis Friedman, Jeff Wright, starring Trey Parker as Joe Cooper, Matt Stone as Doug Remer, Yasmine Bleeth as Jenna Reed, Jenny McCarthy as Yvette Denslow, Robert Vaughn as Baxter Cain, Ernest Borgnine as Ted Denslow
Worldwide gross: $7,027,290
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $12,896,068
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,886
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,406,332
US/Canada gross: $7,027,290
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $12,896,068
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,541
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,086,105
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $5,663,438
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,072
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $25,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $45,878,525
Production budget ranking: 860
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $24,705,586
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$57,688,043
ROI to date (est.): -82%
ROI ranking: 1,898
Matt Stone – Doug Remer
Yasmine Bleeth – Jenna Reed
Jenny McCarthy – Yvette Denslow
Robert Vaughn – Baxter Cain
Ernest Borgnine – Ted Denslow
Director(s)
David Zucker
Writer(s)
David Zucker, Robert LoCash, Lewis Friedman, Jeff Wright
Producer(s)
Gil Netter, Robert LoCash
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (30)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
I was bored well before the end, but found the first half hour pretty funny.
March 25, 2008
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Jenny McCarthy and Ernest Borgnine — together at last.
March 25, 2008
Jeff Giles
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Their incessant, obscene banter is meant to be endearing; their total lack of presence makes it simply annoying.
March 25, 2008 | Rating: D+
Bilge Ebiri
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
What kind of movie is it where Yasmine Bleeth is the best thing about it?
March 25, 2008
Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
The vulgar, obvious humor of Zucker brother David and South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone elicits easy, guilty laughs, yet the material has an underlying innocence that’s just shy of good clean fun.
March 25, 2008
Leonard Klady
Variety
TOP CRITIC
…a disappointing misfire that’s aged terribly in the years since its 1998 release.
September 5, 2020 | Rating: 2/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Here’s a treat for South Park fans… Better than you might suspect.
April 29, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
Is it dumb? You bet. Is it funny? Sporadically.
March 25, 2008 | Rating: 2/4
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide
An inane, painfully unfunny comedy.
October 8, 2005 | Rating: 0/5
Chuck O’Leary
Fantastica Daily
August 31, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Rebecca Murray
About.com
August 11, 2005 | Rating: 2/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com…
Plot
Two losers from Milwaukee, Coop & Remer, invent a new game playing basketball, using baseball rules. When the game becomes a huge success, they, along with a billionaire’s help, form the Professional Baseketball League where everyone gets the same pay and no team can change cities. Coop & Remer’s team, the Milwaukee Beers is the only team standing in the way of major rule changes that the owner of the Dallas Felons wants to institute.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny comments were found in the Fresh Kernels review for Baseketball.
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