Over at HuffPo, blogger Jack Donaldson (Middlebury '06) is suffering from heartbreak and disillusionment. Who is responsible for this young man's tragic malaise? Step forward Will Ferrell. Jack caught Semi-Pro last week, and let's just say that he was at the very least disappointed. How badly did the film shatter Jack's soul?
[I]t was offensive to see a star such as Ferrell, insulated from the world around him, seem to sincerely believe that people would want to see him re-treading a character and idea he had 10 years ago. To see Semi-Pro is to see one of America's leading comedic stars making total suckers out of all who had faith in him. The film represents a complete tailspin in Will Ferrell's career. We are currently witnessing a star slide into complete irrelevance and self-parody.
Donaldson speaks, obviously, as one who previously revered Ferrell's oeuvre. He recalls the classic moments with the poignance of a spurned lover who weeps for what once was but might not be again: