Ladybugs Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A man uses child labor and some questionable fashion choices to get a promotion by winning a soccer game.

🍿 Ladybugs: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Chester’s Ambition

Chester Lee, an ambitious salesman, believes a promotion is within reach. He confidently shares this with his fiancée. However, a meeting with his boss takes an unexpected turn when he falsely claims to have soccer coaching experience. This lands him the role of coach for the company’s all-girls soccer team, the Ladybugs.

The Ladybugs’ Dilemma

Chester quickly realizes the Ladybugs are a terrible team, jeopardizing his promotion prospects. Desperate, he devises a plan: he convinces his fiancée’s son, Matthew, a skilled soccer player, to disguise himself as a girl and join the team. This creates a complex situation as Matthew, now ‘Martha,’ develops a crush on Kimberly, the boss’s daughter and a teammate.

Martha’s Success and Complications

As Martha, Matthew transforms the Ladybugs into a winning team. However, maintaining the charade becomes increasingly difficult, especially as his feelings for Kimberly grow. The situation is further complicated by the constant need to switch between his male and female identities, leading to humorous and awkward situations.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Chester Lee (Rodney Dangerfield): A salesman who lies about his soccer experience to coach a girls’ team for a promotion.
• Matthew (Jonathan Brandis): Chester’s fiancee’s son who disguises himself as a girl, Martha, to help the struggling soccer team.
• Julie Benson (Jackée Harry): Chester’s coworker and assistant coach who provides support and comedic relief.
• Kimberly Mullen (Vinessa Shaw): The boss’s daughter and a member of the Ladybugs team who becomes a love interest for Matthew.
• Dave Mullen (Tom Parks): Chester’s boss who tasks him with coaching the Ladybugs to earn a promotion.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Chester: “I tell ya, I get no respect. I bought a cemetery plot. The guy said, ‘There’s a waiting list.’” – A classic Rodney Dangerfield line about his constant lack of respect, used to express his frustrations in the movie.
• Chester: “Some chance, like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.” – Chester uses this colorful analogy to describe the Ladybugs’ slim chances of winning, highlighting their ineptitude.
• Chester: “What’s the point in being the best, if it only brings out your worst?” – Chester reflects on the negative impact of his desperate actions, showing a moment of self-awareness and regret.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $20,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $14,796,494
• Worldwide Gross: $14,796,494

💥 Ladybugs Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, ‘Ladybugs’ is definitely a product of its time, and not necessarily in a good way. While I appreciate the humor and Rodney Dangerfield’s classic delivery, the premise of dressing a boy as a girl for a soccer team feels… weird now. It has moments that are genuinely funny, like when Martha is trying to juggle both personas, but overall it’s a bit of a cringefest. Still, there’s a nostalgic charm to it, and Jonathan Brandis does a surprisingly good job in his dual role. I chuckled, but I also cringed – a true mixed bag.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of Rodney Dangerfield’s comedy”
  • “Viewers who enjoy 90s sports comedies”
  • “People looking for a lighthearted, feel-good movie (with caveats about mature humor)”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Suggestive humor and innuendo”
  • “Cross-dressing and gender-related themes that may be sensitive for some viewers”
  • “Some outdated humor that might be considered offensive by modern standards”

Professional Reviews

• Rotten Tomatoes: “Despite some humorous moments from Dangerfield, ‘Ladybugs’ struggles with its outdated humor and uneasy blend of adult themes and family-friendly tropes, making it a quirky relic of the early 90s.
• AllMovie: “While Rodney Dangerfield delivers his trademark one-liners, ‘Ladybugs’ suffers from a predictable plot and an uncomfortable premise. The gender-bending storyline feels forced and lacks genuine comedic spark, making it a forgettable entry in Dangerfield’s filmography.

Audience Reactions

Rodney Dangerfield’s one-liners and physical comedy still bring the laughs.: Many appreciate the nostalgic value and the lighthearted, if somewhat dated, humor.

Jonathan Brandis’ performance as both Matthew and Martha is surprisingly effective.: Some viewers found Brandis’ portrayal endearing and a standout aspect of the film.

Overall Consensus: ‘Ladybugs’ is a divisive comedy that’s both praised for its nostalgic humor and criticized for its outdated premise and potentially offensive elements. A product of its time, it’s a film best viewed with a large grain of salt.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Tommy Lasorda, the famous baseball manager, makes a cameo appearance as Coach Cannoli, adding a touch of sports celebrity to the film.”
• “The movie was filmed in Denver, Colorado, utilizing local settings to create a realistic backdrop for the story.”
• “Jonathan Brandis’s character, Matthew, calls Rodney Dangerfield’s character, Chester, ‘Chesterfield.’ Brandis had a habit in real-life of referring to certain friends in jest by adding ‘field’ to the end of their names. He carried this over into the film and ad-libbed ‘Chesterfield’ as an inside joke.”

🖥️ How to Watch Ladybugs?

As of today, you can search for ‘Ladybugs’ on Amazon to check for rental or purchase options. Availability on streaming platforms like Prime Video or Apple TV may vary, so it’s best to check their respective libraries directly.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Ladybugs, you might like these similar films:

• She’s the Man (2006): A modern take on the gender-swapping sports comedy, where a girl disguises herself as a boy to play soccer.
• Tootsie (1982): Features a man dressing as a woman to achieve a goal, exploring similar themes of identity and deception.
• The Bad News Bears (1976): A misfit sports team overcomes their shortcomings with the help of an unconventional coach, creating a similar underdog story.

🛒 Ladybugs Related Products

• Ladybugs [VHS]: Own a piece of 90s nostalgia with the original VHS release of Ladybugs. A rare find for collectors of vintage movies, this VHS tape is a tangible piece of cinematic history.
• She’s the Man (DVD): If you liked the gender-bending premise of Ladybugs, check out She’s the Man on DVD. This modern take on the theme is hilarious, offering a fresh and updated perspective.
• Rodney Dangerfield: No Respect (The Very Best Of): Relive Rodney Dangerfield’s greatest stand-up moments. This collection showcases his iconic humor and comedic genius, offering hours of laughter and entertainment.
• Vintage Rodney Dangerfield T-Shirt: Show off your love for the comedy legend with this unique t-shirt! This classic design captures Rodney’s signature look and humor.

🎧 Soundtrack

Ladybugs features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Great Balls of Fire” – performed by Rodney Dangerfield
• “Psych Em’ Out” – performed by D.A. Young

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Rodney Dangerfield’s Ladybugs in 60 Seconds (1992)

Want a hilarious refresher on Ladybugs in just over a minute? This speedy recap from Rodney Dangerfield’s channel is pure comedic gold and a great way to remember the best bits!

matthew/martha being an awkward dork for a minute and a half straight

Ever feel a little awkward? Relive Matthew/Martha’s most endearingly dorky moments from Ladybugs in this compilation. Honestly, it’s kinda relatable, right?

HDTGM: Ladybugs Trailer Directed by David Lynch

What if David Lynch directed Ladybugs? This fan-made trailer is bizarre and brilliant, turning a lighthearted comedy into something totally surreal. You HAVE to see this!

✨ Rate