Slap Shot Is One Great Sports Comedy And Social Commentary

Rating: 10/10 (25 October 2011)

Slap Shot is a film that depicts the Charlestown Chiefs,a minor league hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town.It stars Paul Newman in a wonderful comic performance together with Strother Martin,Michael Ontkean,Lindsay Crouse and the famously known "Hanson Brothers" namely David Hanson,Steve Carlson and Jeff Carlson.
The plot has Newman play Reggie Dunlop, the coach of a pathetic minor- league American hockey team,Charlestown Chiefs. His career at a standstill and his marriage in tatters, Dunlop has nothing to lose by taking on a new group of players who are one evolutionary step above Neanderthals - the Hanson Brothers namely Jack,Steve and Jeff.Only when the team begins winning does he decide to get behind these players, and to encourage the rest of the team to play as down-and-dirty as the newcomers. Straight-arrow team member Ned Braden,played by Michael Ontkean,resents this influx of gonzo talent, preferring to play clean. As the film's multitude of subplots play themselves out, Dunlop does his best to keep the outraged Braden on the team.
To keep them motivated, Dunlop plants a story with sportswriter Dickie Dunn that the Chiefs are being sold to a prospective buyer in Florida. The owner turns out to be a rich widow who couldn't care less about hockey. She intends to fold the Chiefs and take a tax write-off. Disgusted with her, he storms out, and realizes that his lies blew up in his face.
One last playoff game remains, and Dunlop reveals to the players that there is no buyer and he made the whole story up. After apologizing to his team, he decides that this is to be his last game, so Reggie wants to go out with dignity and not like a goon. Despite being conned, the team follows Dunlop's lead and vows to play clean.Unfortunately,the fight ensues later in the game.
Braden, sulking on the bench after refusing to goon it up, finally snaps. He skates out to center ice and strips off his uniform. Both teams stop fighting and stare in amazement at Braden's striptease, hypocritically more offended by Braden's antics than the violence they have been engaging in.
Slap Shot has become a cult classic especially among Hockey fans.Its nonstop barrage of profanity and its raunchy action sequences are of such intensity is probably what the movie will be remembered for.But it is more than just a comedic film for it is about a man, a town, a team, a league and a sport that are all dying, and Hill has created characters who are desperate, selfish, lonely, deceitful and violent.
As for the themes or should I say "dark" themes of the film,it was basically a social commentary about the attitude of "winning at all cost";the power of the media;the Americans'love for sports and their fascination for violence as professed for the sport of hockey; and a view to the world of capitalism.Aside from that,it also touches on broken marriages, selfishness, manipulation and deceit, sports-fan blood lust, battle between players and team owners and the effects of an economic downturn to a blue- collar town.
George Hill created an absorbing flick that is frank,violent and extremely hilarious and the same time that states something about our society.It was one of the greatest sports comedy I have seen in my life.It was raunchy,violent and very funny.Slap Shot will rank among the best sports comedies and social commentaries ever made in cinema.