Kicking & Screaming (2005 film) facts for kids

Kicking & Screaming
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jesse Dylan
Produced by	Jimmy Miller
Starring	Will Ferrell Robert Duvall Kate Walsh Mike Ditka
Music by	Mark Isham
Cinematography	Lloyd Ahern II
Editing by	Stuart H. Pappé Peter Teschner
Studio	Mosaic Media Group
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	May 1, 2005 (2005-05-01) (Universal City) May 13, 2005 (2005-05-13) (United States)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$45 million
Money made	$56.1 million

Kicking & Screaming is a funny sports movie from 2005. It was directed by Jesse Dylan. The movie stars Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall. They play a father and son who use their own sons' soccer teams to try and win against each other.

Mike Ditka, Kate Walsh, and Josh Hutcherson are also in the film. It came out on May 13, 2005. The movie earned about $56 million around the world.

Story of the Film

Phil Weston grew up with a very competitive dad, Buck. This made Phil not want to be competitive himself. Now, Phil is an adult with a son named Sam. Phil owns a vitamin shop, and his dad, Buck, owns sports stores.

Buck coaches the best soccer team, the Gladiators. Sam plays for his grandpa Buck's team, but Buck always keeps him on the bench. This makes Phil upset because the same thing happened to him as a kid. So, Buck moves Sam to the Tigers, the worst team in the league.

Phil Becomes a Coach

During Sam's first game with the Tigers, their coach doesn't show up. Phil steps in to coach the team. He decides to become the permanent coach. Even though Phil tries his best, the team doesn't get better.

Phil then asks Mike Ditka for help. Mike Ditka is Buck's neighbor and someone Buck doesn't like. Mike agrees to be the assistant coach because he wants to help beat Buck. Even with tough training, the Tigers keep losing.

New Players and a Bet

Mike Ditka tells Phil about two very talented Italian twin brothers, Gian Piero and Massimo. They work at a butcher shop. Phil gets their uncle's permission for them to play for the Tigers. The twins make a huge difference, scoring many goals. The Tigers start winning a lot of games.

After winning some games, Phil and Buck make a bet. If the Gladiators win the finals, Phil will sell his store and work for Buck. If the Tigers win, Buck will give Phil his most prized possession. This is 'The Pelé Ball', a soccer ball kicked by the famous player Pelé. Phil caught it as a child, but Buck took it from him.

Phil Changes

Mike Ditka also introduces Phil to coffee. Drinking coffee makes Phil change a lot. He goes from being a calm, caring dad to a loud, bossy, and overly competitive coach. He starts acting a lot like his own father.

Phil's new rule for the team is "Get the ball to the Italians". This helps them win, but it makes the other players feel bad. In one game, Phil even makes Sam sit on the bench for the whole semi-final game. Mike Ditka quits as assistant coach because he doesn't like Phil's behavior.

The Big Game

The Tigers make it to the finals and play against the Gladiators. At half-time, the Gladiators are winning 2-1. Phil talks to Sam and realizes he made mistakes. He tells his team to do the opposite of what he taught them before.

The Gladiators score one more goal, but the Tigers don't give up. Phil helps the goalie see better with glasses from the crowd. Then, Ambrose scores a goal, making the score 3-2. After another goal, the score is tied. The team works together and plays amazingly. They win the game 4–3! Sam scores the winning goal against his half-brother Bucky. Sam uses a move he practiced when Phil benched him earlier.

After the Game

Buck tries to give Phil the Pelé ball, as they agreed in the bet. But Phil says no. Phil and his father make peace. They decide to combine their businesses. They learn that winning isn't the most important thing in life.

The movie ends with a funny commercial. The whole Tigers team appears, announcing that Phil's vitamin shop and Buck's sports store have joined together. The team shouts, "And vitamins!"

Main Actors

See also

In Spanish: Kicking & Screaming para niños