The Replacements (2000)

Coach from Hoosiers + Plot from Major League = Good sports movie?

When Gene Hackman is in a sports movie, it's impossible to see him as anyone other than coach Norman Dale from Hoosiers. Unfortunately, Keanu Reeves is more Shooter than he is Jimmy Chitwood. Nonetheless, this travesty of a sports movie was given the nod, and the rest is history.

The setup for the movie is stolen straight from Major League. A pro team has no players, but this time it's a strike instead of an insane owner. A wily, unknown coach is hired to build a team. A motley crew of assorted clichés is soon picked up.

Once again Coach Hackman amazes with his complete lack of coaching ability, as he insists on picking up a former college QB with a rag-arm to lead his team. Surely there were countless other guys in the Arena league or in the CFL who would have loved the chance at the NFL, but Hackman goes with a guy who can't throw a fit, let alone a football. His QB of choice, Shane "Footsteps" Falco (Reeves), is a guy who had a horrible bowl game in his college finale, and was rightfully branded as a choke artist. (Side note: In this movie Keanu essentially plays the same Johnny Utah role he did in Point Break)

Aside from Falco, Hackman picks up some token athletes while several others fill in the movie gaps (with Major League counterparts in parenthesis):
1) A psycopathic, borderline idiot to play linebacker (Favreau) and serve as the Wild Thing, er, Card (Ricky Vaughn)
2) The wild, crazy foreigner, a chain-smoking British guy who used to be a soccer star, and can now do the field-goal kicking duties (Pedro Serrano)
3) The big, brooding, intimidating, scary ex-convict (Pedro Cerrano mixed with Ricky Vaughn)
4) The anonymous black guy with track star speed and an uncanny knack for witty, funny one-liners (Willie Mays Hayes)
5) The handicapped guy who overcomes his deafness (Jake Taylor)
6) The three obese offensive linemen who aren't really athletes (Eddie Harris)
7) Eventually one of the smarmy pros comes back to the team, QB Eddie Martell, and nobody likes him (Roger Dorn)
8) Annabelle (Brooke Langton), a cheerleader, and love-interest for Falco, does nothing except display the top half of her boobs during every scene on camera (Lynn Wells)

With the puzzle pieces in place, there is an awkward lack of sexual chemistry between Annabelle and Falco, meaningless coach-speak from Hackman (who mails it in by recycling his Coach Dale routine), the coming together as a team scene (an absolutely wretched scene where the team dances together in a jail to the song "I Will Survive"), and the inevitable match-up versus the superior opponent.

The absolute best part of the movie is at the beginning when Falco is throwing a metal football from a trophy while underwater. It's the best scene Keanu has ever been in because he couldn't speak.

A serviceable sports movie, The Replacements provides just enough sports action for the die-hard sports fan to enjoy, and just enough preposterousness for the cynic to ridicule. Much like Keanu, it's so bad it's good. August 19, 2008

Great Cast-Great Movie!

The Replacements brings to the screen the story of a substitute squad called in to get the Washington Sentinels to the playoffs following a walkout by professional football players over pay. Things become rather complicated when the replacements turn out to be a mismatch of misfits, `have-beens,' and `never-was'...
The Replacements comes across as an action film but in fact it is all about human relations, hope, and second chances.
Keanu Reeves, Gene Hackman, Brooke Langton (who is simply GORGEOUS!), Rhys Ifans, Jon Favreau, and the rest of this great cast, have outdone themselves with their performances. All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (the chemistry is AMAZING)! Very well written and very well presented, the movie is without a doubt guaranteed to provide more than just a few laughs, not to mention a few tears. The film is simple enough, but does a great job of describing people's every day lives and the problems they face. It just goes to show that simplicity is often far better than complexity, when trying to present issues of a human nature.
The setting, the plot, the dialogues, the humor, the girls (!), and the MUSIC (!!!) are all wonderful!
In short, The Replacements is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection (if not for the music alone)!

August 5, 2008

Great Movie

Even though it's a sports movie, it is great. Received in quick time. Was pleased with the product, and delivery. June 13, 2008

Don't Know Why I Like It, But I Do

This movie is one of a rarity for me: a cliche that works. The plot is as old as time--a bunch of misfits recruited to pull off something incredible, in this case a playoff appearance for the hometown football team after all the regulars go on strike.

The characters are the same, the plot is the same, and the ending is so obvious even Stevie Wonder could see it coming. But for some reason I still like it. I know this isn't exactly a ringing endorsement, but check it out anyway--you might be pleasantly surprised. June 13, 2008

Christmas Gift

this product was great! The price was great (although I had to pay an arm and a leg for next day shipping to get it in time for christmas) January 23, 2008

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