Ohmigosh! I couldn’t believe how funny this movie was!
You wouldn’t think this would be as funny as it is probably because of the fact that Keanu Reeves hasn’t made any really good comedies since Bill & Ted’s (especially after his ultra-serious role in last year’s The Matrix). But if you’re like me, you will laugh your head off, and you’ll definitely be itching to see it again.
It basically starts out introducing Keanu as a barnacle scraper who finds an old football trophy underwater while working. He picks up the little gold football and plays quarterback underwater, giving you that little insight into what his true love is.
The movie then goes into the situation where Gene Hackman is speaking with Jack Warden about the current situation in the NFL. Apparently all the players for the Sentinels are on strike, and Hackman will be the coach for the replacement team that will be made up of an assortment of has-beens/never-made-it’s. Hackman agrees only if he gets his way completely, and the movie just flows through from there.
The rest of the movie is the standard set up with the new players who have to learn to be a team and rise to the occasions. However, the real gem is the ensemble cast that is pulled together to carry the team until the real players finish with their strike. And as soon as they come into the movie, the laughs come every minute. Even the head cheerleader trying to recruit girls comes off as an hilarious sequence, where she finally ends up going with hiring a group of exotic dancers to motivate the replacements.
Interestingly enough, Reeves, who has had many roles in the past that seem inappropriate for him, grasps onto this role solidly, and the performance has you pulling for him the whole movie. And at the end when his presence is lost from the team for a short time, you really feel the loss. When he finally comes back into the game, you’ll find yourself cheering as if you were at the game yourself.
All in all, the movie is great, and if you need a good flick to get you laughing so hard you think your guts will spill out, this is definitely the one for you. And trust me, this is hands-down the funniest movie of the year!
