The Best Football Movie Since Brian's Song

This is a REAL football movie. It's not about the team, or about the points, or about a single player, or about a coach... it's about FOOTBALL. I loved this movie.

Al Pacino is an aging coach of a Florida football team, the Miami Sharks. He is caught between his own desires, the wants of the team Owner's daughter (played by a surprisingly nasty Cameron Diaz),and the faults and skills of his players. You actually grow to care about all of these people, amazingly.

This is the first sports-related movie I have cared more about the individuals IN the movie than about the outcome for the team. This is not Hoosiers, rooting for that extra point to win a game. This is not a hockey game, where you are cheering to see the goal that will put our team on top. This is about people, but these people just all happen to be playing football.

There is an aging quarterback (reminded me of Dan Marino? Steve Young? Joe Montana? ) played emotionally by Dennis Quaid. He wants to play, his heart is there but his body is not. He is caught between his body, a coach who needs him, and a wife who only sees him as a paycheck. His equally aging wide receiver, played by LL Cool J, is trying to make his stats to get his bonus, despite the enormous physical risks to him. This enters a side entanglement between team doctor James Woods and his nephew, and the coach (Pacino) when he finds out that Woods is risking the player's health to make them play.

Enter Willie Beaman, the third string quarterback who is suddenly put on the starting lineup by injuries to the other players. He is nervous (throws up before every game, leading to a few hilarious scenes and lines) but out to make a name for himself. He's a renegade, changing the plays on the field, much to Quaid and Pacino's dismay. Even worse, he's GOOD -- and his breakout style is helping the team turn around their losing streak. This leads to power struggles between Coach & Owner, between old Quarterback and new Quarterback, and between the team as a whole.

There is a fabulous locker room scene. No, I'm not referring to the nude guys in the showers, although my wife did perk up at that. Its one of those famous "We can win as a team, or lose as a team" speeches, where Pacino shows his true colors and really pulls the movie together. But even more importantly, this movie was not about a series of fights, with one powerful speech leading to a showdown game. Its about a group of people, each with their own demands and drives, and how they interact. You actually care, and as I said in the title, I haven't cared this much about football players in a movie since Brian's Song.

There are the typical Oliver Stone bizarre camera angles, slow-motion shots, etc. but they are all part of the experience. There is a lot of swearing, this is a rough game played by rough people, both on the field and off. If you are easily offended you won't like it, but if you enjoy football, and want to see a GREAT movie about playing football (versus about a game), this is one to see. Oliver Stone scored a TD in my book with this one.

PS About a third of the viewers left when the credits started, and missed a fabulous scene with Al Pacino and Cameron Diaz. Don't leave early, watch the credits. Trust me.