AllMovie

A sports comedy follows the same kind of formula as a sports drama, but with a more lighthearted and comical focus. The standard plot revolves around a specific person or team who is struggling against the odds to win. The main characters are more than likely underdogs, and they almost always triumph. If they do lose, the movie is probably better described as a sports drama. Often the comedy comes out of the players' lack of skill at the game (Necessary Roughness), unusual talent (Happy Gilmore), or ethnic group (White Men Can't Jump). Occasionally, the comedy is derived by positioning gender issues into the usually male continuum (Just One of the Guys, Wildcats, Ladybugs). Many family films, especially in the '80s, focused on sports themes with kids as the protagonists (Bad News Bears, Mighty Ducks). Combined with the animal film, one subgenre that boomed in the '90s incorporates animals as athletes (Air Bud, Snow Dogs, MVP: Most Valuable Primate). Sports comedies are also associated with romance (Bull Durham), teen movies (Bring It On), and slapstick (Caddyshack).