A formulaic, root for the underdogs, football,
feel good film that feels good. Late in the season
the Washington Sentinels hire on "The Replacements"
to fill the swelled helmets of the pro's picketing
for larger bottom lines. Gene Hackman comes out of
retirement to hand-pick and coach this team of
misfits which include: a sumo wrestler, a convict,
one over enthusiastic SWAT cop, a deaf guy, a coupla
gangsta body-guards, a soccer player and Shane Falco
(Keanu), the coulda-been that never-was. Hackman
throws for the heart and so does the film. It's just
plain good fun, good solid dialogue peppered with
plenty of grins, and a lot of football action.
Especially well done, the breaking of the picket line
scene where our motley crew watches as their heroes
mock and taunt them, a lunchroom scene where the boys
bicker over race, and the opening sequence with Keanu underwater
scraping barnacles from boats. He comes across an old
football trophy in the muck and tosses a submerged
pass while Lit rocks on, "If I could get another
chance I'd put it in a ziploc bag and keep it in my
pocket." Hackman: "You know what separates the
winners from the losers?"
Reeves: "Yeah, the score." Langton: "You get that
bruise from the game or the fight afterwards?"
Reeves: "I'm not sure, it all kind of blurs into one
big beating." The only drawback ... a cheer squad
made up of lap-dancers. Oh, they have their moment,
but the film never really explains why the cheer
squad needed replacements also - did the regular's
strike as well? Anyway ... Good music, good acting,
good heart. One satisfied viewer cheered, "Finally, a
good guy film!" I'd add, "That everyone can
enjoy."
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