Benchwarmers parents guide

Benchwarmers Parent Guide

Overall D+

Three nerdy Benchwarmers (Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder) get an opportunity to play baseball when a former nerd (Jon Lovitz) uses his newly gained wealth to sponsor the trio in a revenge tournament against some childhood-bullies.

Release date May 6, 2006

Violence B-
Sexual Content C+
Profanity C-
Substance Use C+

Why is Benchwarmers rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Benchwarmers PG-13 for crude and suggestive humor, and for language

Run Time: 80 minutes

Parent Movie Review

A dead-on hit in the groin is meant to garner a lot of laughs—at least it is in The Benchwarmers. So is picking your nose, passing gas, twisting your rival’s nipples and eating sunscreen.

They’re behaviors most parents wouldn’t want repeated at home… but repeated they are, for an entire 80 minutes.

In the film, the demarcation line between jock and nerd is clearly drawn. The jocks—old and young alike—talk tough and flex their muscles while most of the nerds dejectedly watch life from the sidelines.

Luckily, one of the geeks has managed to gain a modicum of coolness. After enduring the taunts of bullies as a child, Gus (Rob Schneider) moved away from home, started a landscaping business and married an incredibly beautiful blonde who is always anxious to copulate. Yet, he still hangs around with a couple of designated losers—Clark (Jon Heder), an overly cautious newspaper carrier bedecked in protective gear and Richie (David Spade), a virginal video clerk who watches lesbian flicks rather than developing relationships with real women.

When a group of bad-mouthed junior baseball players try and run the three friends off the ball field, Gus challenges the boys to a game. After soundly beating the kids, the trio is approached by Mel (Jon Lovitz), another adult nerd who has hit the jackpot. With billions of dollars in his bank account, he now has the monetary clout to reap some revenge on his old tormentors. He plans to do it by sponsoring the three benchwarmers in a baseball tournament where they’ll take on the youngsters now coached by his former bullies.

It’s not long before nerds are oozing out of the shadows to support the new team. They fill the stands, ask for autographs and even pod cast their games over the Internet. With this swelling of geek gusto, the film tries to establish a heartfelt message about cheering for the underdog, accepting others and letting everyone play.

However, the importance of the moral gets lost somewhere after the benchwarmers vandalize mailboxes for batting practice and before a drunken pitcher vomits all over his coach. With the script so caught up in injecting every scene with some joke about urination, dog dung, midgets or the insinuation of homosexual activity with a male playmate in a Speedo, it completely forgets to develop any positive points.

Unfortunately, both the nerds and the jocks are such extreme stereotypes they are impossible to warm up to. Despite their good intentions to give geeks their day on the diamond, these guys are best left in the dugout.

Starring Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder. Running time: 80 minutes. Theatrical release May 6, 2006. Updated

Benchwarmers
Rating & Content Info

Why is Benchwarmers rated PG-13? Benchwarmers is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for crude and suggestive humor, and for language

The geeks in this film are subjected to all kinds of abuse from bullies. After knocking one boy to the ground, an older boy squats over him and passes gas in his face. The adult bullies inflict pain by twisting the nipples of other men and themselves. A child is shown with animal dung smeared on his face. Others talk about receiving abusive treatment. Name-calling, threats of harm and other derogatory terms are used. One adult character repeatedly picks his nose and eats the contents. Characters make several comments about urination and defecation and one character is shown with a large bottle of urine. A man in a tiny Speedo is portrayed as the plaything of another man. There is some insinuation about lesbian and gay sexual encounters. Along with other sexual innuendo, a child discusses sex toys with an adult. A woman constantly comments on her ovulation cycle. A man climbs into the shower with his wife, no nudity shown. Characters are repeatedly hit in the groin, in the stomach and on the head. A man accidentally kills several squirrels with a baseball bat as well as breaking car windows. Several secondary characters are shown drinking or using tobacco products. One man becomes drunk while playing ball and later vomits on another adult. A man eats sunscreen. Characters resort to revengeful acts. The script includes repeated moderate profanities and one rude hand gesture.

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Benchwarmers Parents' Guide

Why is Gus hesitant to start a family? What could he do to overcome his fears?

Do the nerds act any more compassionately than the jocks in this film? Is revenge a justifiable alternative to their problems? Are there other ways they could have dealt with the bullies?

Why do films often rely on stereotypical characters? Are either the nerds or jocks accurately portrayed? Are there people who are both brainy and athletic?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Benchwarmers movie is July 24, 2006. Here are some details…

DVD Release Date: 25 July 2006
The Benchwarmers comes up to bat in the home video market with this DVD release. Running commentary is provided by director Dennis Dugan, as well as by actors David Spade and Jon Heder. Deleted scenes allow fans to watch some overtime antics. And on the sidelines are the featurettes: Nerds vs. Bullies: Whose Side Are You On?, Play Ball: Cast & Crew Discuss America’s Pastime, and Who’s on Deck?: Howie’s Greatest Moments.

Related home video titles:

Two young boys rely on heavenly intervention to help their team during the playoffs in Angels in the Outfield. Based on the events of real-life pitcher Jimmy Morris, The Rookie tells the story of a 35-year-old science teacher’s tryout with a professional baseball team.