A True American Classic

Rating: Null/10 (1 June 2010)

Hoosiers (1986)
**** (out of 4)
The sports genre has been around since films became entertainment and they really haven't changed much in over one-hundred years. They can be about fun, bonding or redemption. I think there's a reason the genre has remained one of the most popular out there and it's because everyone can root for the underdog. This film tells the true story of Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) who takes his checkered past to a small town in Indiana where he takes a team no one had heard of and gets them to the state championship. I'm certainly not going to try and lie because I love this film. To me this is one of the purist "American" movies ever made. Everything here, story wise, is stuff we've seen before in countless other sports movies but every cliché comes off as fresh and original here and in the end you've got a rather remarkable tale of second chances and hope no matter how small you are. It's funny to think that this movie is one that no one really had high hopes for yet it has turned out to be one of the most loved classics in film history. I guess you can compare this to the actual team as I'm sure no one expected them to do anything yet they turned out to be one of the most remarkable teams in history for what they achieved. There's so much in this film that works but I think the real key is the heart that it shows. Not only do we have the story of the coach getting a second shot but we also have a drunk (Dennis Hopper) trying to overcome his own demons and get his life back on track with his son. The way the film takes a look at the coach and the drunk is something everyone can connect with and I really can't think of a film that gets so much out of making the viewer want to see someone succeed. A lot of credit has to go to both Hackman and Hopper as both actors turn in some of their best work here. Hackman's performance here has somewhat already became legendary as you can always find people able to quote him or at least remember everything that happens here. The amount of dignity Hackman brings to the role is rather remarkable to watch as he has the fire, energy and passion to make you think you're watching a real person and not just some sentimental role. Hopper is the real eye-catcher here as he had only been sober for a few years so I'm sure he knew this character very well as he had been given several second chances in his own life. The amount of passion Hopper brings to the role makes this easily one of his greatest performances. It could be early one during a scene where he simply smiles at what the coach is trying to do with the team or when his is suffering the shakes from the alcohol with drawls. Hopper nails every inch of this character and his broken down weakness is up there with the greatest alcoholic performances. The supporting cast, including Barbara Hershey, are great as well but there's no question that the film belongs to Hackman and Hopper. It's rather hard to say anything that hasn't already been said about this film and it's easy to tell I'm one of its major fans. To me this is storytelling at its very best as the film manages to show why sports remain so powerful and how they can touch so many lives.