A champion in the realm of sports films! So funny, so honest!

Rating: 9/10 (9 February 2011)

Jimmy (Gene Hackman) has been offered a less than stellar job. Its the late eighties and the professional football league's players are on strike. It will be Jimmy's job, if he accepts it, to coach a crew of "scab players" for a team called the Washingon Sentinels. Unconventional anyway, Jimmy signs on, but, only on the promise that he will be given total control from the owner (Jack Warden). It is so. From there, Jimmy starts to assemble a team, which includes a once promising quarterback, Shane (Keanu Reeves), a Welsh kicker (Rhys Ifans), a slow-witted-but-mighty tackle (Jon Favreau) and so on. Jim evens gets a lineman who resembles a sumo wrestler. Naturally, the players are pelted with eggs when there bus arrives at the stadium and doom is predicted. Even the regular cheerleaders honor the strike, so the new leader (Brooke Langton), has to recruit her own squad, picking ladies from the local strip parlor, since no one else can dance. So, it begins. Before long, the Sentinels are doing well, surprising even John Madden and Pat Somerall, who cover the games. Also, Shane has eyes for the head cheerleader but she is a tough sell. However, the lady may protest too much. Then, too, rumors abounds about the return of the official players. How will this rough-and-tumble season go? This adorable film is a champion in the realm of sports films and BEYOND. It is very, very funny, from the cheerleader who can't spell to the footballer (Favreau) who can run folks over but has to have strategies explained numerous times. If you are looking for a demeanor elevator, this one is first rate. Its also very honest in its look at the world of football, romance, and human nature in general. Kudos to all responsible. As for the cast, this is definitely one of Reeves' best movies. He is strikingly handsome, humorous and turns up the heat in the kissing scenes. Whew. Hackman, Warden, Orlando Jones, Langton, Favreau, Ifans and ALL of the others do superior work as well. In fact, they are all too comical for words. Also fine are the costumes, sets (Reeves lives on a houseboat), script and go-for-broke direction. Turn off the daily rerun offerings and replace them with a showing of this great flick. The Replacements is a minor classic.