"Let's win one for Coach who got us here".

Rating: 8/10 (27 September 2016)

Like a lot of sports movies, this one has less to do with the game being represented than it does about relationships, discipline, teamwork, finding the good in somebody, and ultimately, redemption. Perhaps that's why a lot of reviewers who are negative on the picture see it only as a cliché ridden story in which the underdog comes out on top as was expected all along. Gene Hackman makes his character Norman Dale the kind of coach that all high school players of any sport would be proud to know and strive for. One that measures success by the hard work and perseverance that goes into boring, repetitive practice that produces successful shots, kicks, and goals into something that becomes second nature. I was particularly impressed by the scene in which Coach Dale has himself ejected from a game in order to help his assistant coach Shooter (Dennis Hopper) regain a measure of self respect and dignity, a selfless gesture that takes more character than most bystanders at a local ball game might appreciate. That simple sacrifice in turn helps bring an alcoholic father back into the good graces of his own son. The full circle nature of these singular moments have a way of reverberating throughout a school and community at large, and this story shows how it can be done. So once more, a basketball story that's more than just basketball, but about making one's way in life.
Also cool to see that Purple People Eater guy Sheb Wooley as the Hickory High School principal. I didn't recognize him wearing a suit and tie and not riding a horse.