Baldwin pitched against heavyweight comedy actor Bill Murray.

The storyline is simple, taking place in a basketball court where Todd Fitter (Baldwin) is a young, starry eyed NBA scout and Jack Vardell (Murray) is the older, wizened old scout, with a sprinkling of pushy parents and a court of hidden players.

All through, the film has you believing the joke is on Baldwin, then Murray -- until that is, the final punchline.

Fitter is idealistic, has read all the books, got the equipment and is ready to be "a DIY NBA scout''. By contrast Vardell, a former player, has that "been there, seen that, bought the player'' persona.

Murray is the master of comic faces and timing, which helps as Baldwin isn't really. He ensures the film is a laugh a minute -- and at 13 minutes long you can count all of them.

The story could be replicated in any one of a dozen professions. The youngster, who has seen the films and taken the courses, thinks he has found his dream job -- until the old timer blows away the myths with a barrage of nuclear comments.

But undeterred, Fitter is just encouraged even more and thinks Vardell is merely trying to put him off the "prize player''.

Without giving the final joke away, if you look closely there are tiny clues throughout the film before the final line. I am not sure if Americans like laughing at themselves all that much, especially those in the super-competitive world of pro-sports, but outsiders who think commercialisation has taken over sport will be laughing.

TIM GREENFIELD FILM REVIEW REV MPC