![]() You need to love football and you need to enjoy slapstick, banana peel comedy. To enjoy this film you really need two things. Of course, while visiting the NFL, Shane falls in love with the head cheerleader (Brooke Langton) who never dates players (except of course this once).All this is merely a mundane excuse for a raucous and silly comedy that has some sidesplitting moments. The quarterback, Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves), once had a promising career, but he fell apart psychologically when his team was pummeled in a college bowl game and he was labeled a player that folds in the big game. Our heroes are low on ability but high on desire and peculiarity. The NFL is having a players strike and scabs are called in to finish the season. "Despite the fact that this film is a totally unoriginal and predictable retread of a dozen "losers to winners" sports stories, it is so hysterically funny that I didn't even care. Maybe football isn't as wimpy as I thought. When faced with a choice between an all-pro prima donna and "their guy", they make the right choice. I think the sumo wrestler qualifies for the latter. Some of the laughs are just chuckles and a few are great big belly laughs. This is not going to go down as one of the great comedies of all time. ![]() It is about laughs and it is about heart. That is not what the movie is about, though. That pretty well sums it up and it follows, I think, all of the standard cliches. Some scab players are hired to play in the pros in the place of the "real players". I AM QUALIFIED, however to pass judgement on what entertains me. I am not qualified to pass judgement on how good the football sequences in this movie. I was one of those guys who figured that football was for those poor souls who couldn't make it in the band. "For the record, I don't know a lot about football. Find your gift you have been given and act on it, this is the true attitude "replacement" we need and this film shows us how to get it." The world doesn't let you or want you to know that greatness is within your grasp, this is why it beats you down. I will not give away the ending but Hackman's voice over after the game, clinches it, I paraphrase: "All men once they have touched greatness in their lives are changed forever".AND THIS IS THE POINT! Just once, do something great in your life! Go all out and let yourself know that you can do it, once you know this you will be changed forever. You are not really sure how the film will end at this point, the team follows the leadership of Reeves but are losing under the arrogant vet. What I like was how just before the final game that would decide whether they go to the play-offs or not, Reeves gets canned by front-office politics in favor of the arrogant Joe Theismann-type "all pro" quarterback who is afraid he will lose his job. The football action scenes are the best yet to grace movie screens, you feel like you are in shoulder pads/helmet again. Along the way, Reeves meets a sexy head cheerleader and there is a nice romance where she begins to believe in him, too. Later he instructs his Quarterback, in the hour of decision, the leader wants the ball in his hands. He tells him flat out he wants to see the man and the ability come together because it will be wonderful to see or words to that effect, his belief in the REALITY that Reeves can deliver are stupendous. His talks with Keanu Reeves' charachter, reveal a candor and leadership style you should really consider. ![]() He believes in them as human beings, not just as football players, that if they can get a "second chance" they will shine. Hackman's Coach knows that the men he wants to be his replacements are great, he is frustrated that life hasn't shown them that and he wants to set them up for success, not failure. First, we don't need to watch any more tragedies on film, we need to see something that inspires us to overcome, and this film delivers: I'm surprised its considered a comedy! Hackman should get an oscar for this film because his narration and actions drive the film and create yet another complex character from the mind of the master. I will even place this film in the all-time greats like "Pride of the Yankees" and "The Natural". "As shocking as it may be, when you think about it, the football movies of the past, to include Oliver Stone's excellent but dark, "On Any Given Sunday" simply do not match this film.
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