Ferrell Takes the Field

Ferrell's genuine reverence for the national pastime and his noble goal make it a breezily feel-good hour. [11 Sep 2015, p.55]

Between the broadcast excerpts and play-by-play commentary, Ferrell Takes The Field conveys the excitement of pulling off this massive stunt, a gee-whiz sincerity that comes through even when the star is acting like the helicopter parked in center field is part of a day’s work for a major leaguer.

Ferrell may never make Cooperstown, he’s a shoo-in for funniest guy in the US.

Ferrell Takes the Field, meanwhile, finds a middle ground: It’s short on big laughs, but admirable nonetheless for Ferrell’s ability to disappear into his characters.

The backstory, frankly, is much better than the special, and one wishes more of it had found a way into this 49-minute project.

Tired, self-amused, occasionally boorish, entirely dull and much (much) more about Ferrell than baseball, Campaneris, or those charities. The joke is a long one.

Since it’s set up to promote Major League teams and Ferrell’s charity efforts, the show can’t take any serious satirical jabs, so instead Ferrell makes a few blandly humorous comments, and the rest of the running time is filled with some slick game-play footage and lots of high fives.