Full Review

Even if you were picked last in gym class, you'll find little amusement in "Benchwarmers" (Columbia), a lame comedy about inclusion, sportsmanship and embracing your inner nerd. And while it's a marked improvement over star Rob Schneider's last outing as "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo," the bar was set mighty low.

Schneider plays undersized landscaper Gus, who, together with his dorky buddies -- video clerk Richie (David Spade) and newspaper delivery boy Clark (Jon Heder of "Napoleon Dynamite") -- is recruited by geek-turned-billionaire Mel (Jon Lovitz) to play against various Little League teams of bullying jocks in a tournament he's sponsoring. By beating them, the trio will win respect for every picked-on kid.

Despite a commendable underdog message and some occasional funny moments, director Dennis Dugan's film strikes out, its "Bad News Bears" script straining under forced laughs and sophomoric slapstick.

The film contains recurring crass humor and sight gags, some sex jokes including running gay innuendo and a crude gesture, as well as a smattering of crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

• A-I -- general patronage;
• A-II -- adults and adolescents;
• A-III -- adults;
• A-IV**
• L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
• O -- morally offensive.