A good, lighthearted look at Football

Rating: 10/10 (25 August 2003)

Unlike Any Given Sunday (which was a pretty good movie), this movie takes a light-hearted look at the way Football (American Football, not that communist soccer crap that is played by gutless men) is played and coached, without taking itself too seriously.
==========================================================> The Replacements is about an old coach, Jimmy McGinty (Hackman) who is tasked to put together a winning football team consisting of replacement players while all the starters are on strike. Shane Falco (Reaves) is selected to lead the team to victory, while trying to shake his reputation as a college QB who snapped under pressure.
=========================================================> Like I said, this movie is very light-hearted. There is very little character developement/back-story, aside from Shane Falco (Reaves). It is also not realistic in the least (The melee scene in particular). But it is very funny throughout.
The acting is pretty good. Hackman is great as Jimmy McGinty, the kind-hearted coach who struggles to make his team win. Reaves does a good job as well, though doesn't look like a QB very much (Too short, not big enough). Orlando Jones (Clifford Franklin) is hilarious as an extremely fast receiver that cannot catch a ball to save his life. All the other parts are well played.
The action on the field is pretty realistic, though there are more spectacular jumping plays etc than in most games. But all and all, fun to watch.
I never really noticed the soundtrack. Nothing original, but nothing bad either.
All and all, a great light-hearted comedy about the way football is played, and the people who play it.