While it’s ultimately a very brief role in the scheme of things for him, this is also one of Bateman’s funniest roles.
While 2004’s Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story isn’t exactly Jason Bateman’s movie, he arguably stole several scenes in the role of Pepper Brooks, an ESPN commentator who provides lewd, spacey, and just-plain-absurd feedback about the dodgeball games-at-hand alongside Cotton McKnight (Gary Cole).
The role is certainly more goofy and rambunctious than the character’s we’re used to seeing from the actor, but that freedom allows him to be a little looser and, arguably, funnier by fully embodying the sort of wild-and-out side character we rarely get to see him play.
Playing the supporting role back in 2004, when Bateman wasn’t a household name yet, despite starring in the beloved, Emmy award-winning dysfunctional family sitcom, Arrested Development, the TV actor provided quotable one-liners like “it’s a bold strategy, Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for them” and “usually, you pay double for that action, Cotton,” among others.