Quite Disappointed with this Film
Recently bought it on blu-ray and just finished watching it. I had seen it before but that was quite a while ago. I was shocked at what a jumbled together movie this was. I want to say I didn't hate it, but I expected much more. Here are some notes on the film:
First, I want to say the football scenes were absolutely ridiculous. The camera angles showed very little action for how much of the movie they took up. Every scene was Willie scrambling around before throwing a ball up in the air and having the camera show nothing except it floating in midair. I often saw a player running the ball with what looked like a completely open field in front of them just to change to a different perspective and have five defenders in their path to be either spun around or blocked. What was with the scene showing some guy have his eyeball ripped out? Every player on the team seemed like a crazy person and they did really stupid end zone celebrations every touchdown. Did they base this movie off of NFL Blitz? Anyways, it was written and shot as a football movie and they messed one of the most critical components.
Any who.
Old, lonely, washed up coach (who want to date hookers) has an underperforming team of aging all-stars. His players snort coke and bang chicks at fundraisers (D.A.R.E.). His first and second string quarterbacks go down leaving their third string quarterback to lead the team and he easily becomes the teams best player. His ego expands to enormous levels and within just a few games, he is staring in advertisements and his own rap videos all while clashing with his coach (changing plays because he has a better one) and teammates. Meanwhile, the owner is a young female who has a very odd way of attempting to control the team, and makes herself out to be a huge bitch who acts nothing like an owner OR GM. There is a team doctor who lies about medical reports and then spews out a bunch of *beep* about it in front of the team at practice. Coach fires him and then allows (even begs) a couple of injured players to play.
The team makes the playoffs and coach gives an inspiring speech to his team, which gets through to jamie foxx and now they respect each other. The coach finds a way to will his team to win and the movies closes with a press conference where the owner praises the coach. Coach says he was hired by a expansion team from New Mexico of all places and he signed their all-star QB.
Oliver Stone has made some great movies, but a name alone doesn't sell me on them. I know what to expect when watching a movie and its seems as though this one was trying to be too many different things. It wanted to be a drama which is hard because the football scenes were way too laughable to take seriously. I guess I couldn't handle all of the ridiculous characters and scenes (cutting an SUV in half, anyone?). I really do think there was a good movie here, unfortunately there was at least 45 minutes of garbage fluff time which regrettably tainted the mediocre bulk.