Customer Reviews

The Replacements [VHS]

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Despite the fact that this film is a totally unoriginal and predictable retread of a dozen "losers to winners" sports stories, it is so hysterically funny that I didn't even care. The story is thin at best. The NFL is having a players strike and scabs are called in to finish the season. Our heroes are low on ability but high on desire and peculiarity. The quarterback, Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves), once had a promising career, but he fell apart psychologically when his team was pummeled in a college bowl game and he was labeled a player that folds in the big game. Of course, while visiting the NFL, Shane falls in love with the head cheerleader (Brooke Langton) who never dates players (except of course this once).

All this is merely a mundane excuse for a raucous and silly comedy that has some sidesplitting moments. To enjoy this film you really need two things. You need to love football and you need to enjoy slapstick, banana peel comedy. I realize that this limits the audience considerably, but for those who qualify (and I am one), this movie is a scream.

Director Howard Deutch (Pretty in Pink, Grumpier Old Men) did a great job on the football sequences. He hired 45 professional football players (Former NFL players, Canadian Football League, etc.) to do the football scenes and sent the actors to a three-week football camp. The action looked real because it was real. The players were told to play and hit the way they normally would. Of course, the plays were choreographed, but they were real football plays.

The comedy was lowbrow, outrageous and crass, with a great deal of physical comedy. The cheerleader scenes were a riot, especially the cheerleader tryouts. The scene where they started pantomiming sex acts to distract the opposing team was priceless. There was also sharp-witted football humor that required more than just a passing knowledge of the game.

There isn't much serious that can be said about the acting. Keanu Reeves tried to play an earnest comeback and romantic role amidst all the foolishness and it really didn't fit with the rest of the film. However, he was an excellent athlete. He did most of his own on-field shots and looked very believable as the quarterback. Gene Hackman was good when he was making snappy wisecracks, but his inspirational "Hoosiers" imitation was misplaced.

This film really belonged to the supporting actors like Orlando Jones (Clifford Franklin), Michael Taliferro and Faizon Love (The Jackson Twins), Ace Yonamine (Jumbo Fumiko), Rhys Ifans (Nigel "The Leg" Gruff) and all the cheerleaders who made the comedy work. Jon Favreau gets a special mention as the crazy S.W.A.T. officer turned linebacker who took the wild man role to the next level. The scenes with an incredulous Pat Summerall and John Madden were also fabulous.

This film won't be fun for everyone, but it will have certain people falling off their chairs. I rated it an 8/10. Subtract two points if you aren't amused by slapstick and boorish behavior, and another two if you aren't a football fan. For the rest of you, be prepared to split a gut.

This film is essentially Necessary Roughness reincarnated for the 21st century. Except this time, Kathy Ireland has been traded for a wise-cracking, nipple-rubbing Welch kicker.

Despite the similar plot lines, The Replacements has enough surprises and character twists to stand alone. The musical score is simply incredible, and does a fantastic job of setting the mood for each scene. I've gotten more miles out of this dvd than many "critically acclaimed" films.

Bottom Line: It's uplifting, hilarious fun that is worth every penny. Anyone who has had a dream will enjoy this one.

For the record, I don't know a lot about football. I was one of those guys who figured that football was for those poor souls who couldn't make it in the band. I am not qualified to pass judgement on how good the football sequences in this movie. I AM QUALIFIED, however to pass judgement on what entertains me. This movie qualifies.

The situation is an NFL strike. Some scab players are hired to play in the pros in the place of the "real players". Against all the odds, they do well. That pretty well sums it up and it follows, I think, all of the standard cliches. That is not what the movie is about, though. It is about laughs and it is about heart. This movie has both.

This is not going to go down as one of the great comedies of all time. It does, however, have its moments. Some of the laughs are just chuckles and a few are great big belly laughs. I think the sumo wrestler qualifies for the latter.

The movie also has heart. The guys on the team do their best. When faced with a choice between an all-pro prima donna and "their guy", they make the right choice. They do their best and they triumph. Maybe football isn't as wimpy as I thought.

From The Monitor

Corny dialogue. Mediocre acting. Predictable plot. One great movie.

"The Replacements" is a movie about athletes who forget salary caps and product endorsements (although this feature is chock-full of product placement) and remember football.

"The Replacements" is a light comedy, but nevertheless, like "Any Given Sunday," pushes an agenda. It portrays athletes as money-grubbing crybabies more interested in counting their money than playing. It suggests that heart and love of the game are lost in professional football, but the agenda is equally lost in the humor and excitement of the hard-hitting games.

The Washington Sentinels represent the riffraff-composed Washington Redskins who became a darkhorse team during the 1987 National Football League players' strike. Upon the mid-season strike, the NFL coaches scrambled together a bricolage of players to finish out the season.

Less retired and more fired Coach Jimmy McGinty, played by Gene Hackman (from Mississippi Burning), is rehired to coach the Washington Sentinels, a ragtag and bobtail consisting of has-beens and never-were, one being former Ohio State quarterback Shane "Footsteps" Falco, AKA Keanu Reeves.

This jaded group of players met in discord, but with Coach McGinty's tutelage and Falco's lead-by-example bravado, they soon began working as a team, to ultimately compete in their final showdown against Dallas.

Off the field, Falco is making a `pass' at Sentinel head cheerleader Annabelle Farrell, played by Brooke Langton. However, Annabelle, with her "I don't date football players...especially quarterbacks" schtick, makes for a tough opponent.

In the end, Farrell, in light of Falco's growing on her like bacteria in a petri dish, discovers that she does indeed date quarterbacks.

"The Replacements" is not an Oscar candidate but it isn't running for one either. It is an upbeat movie that instills faith in quixotical dreams. It adds a little humor, mostly from the mouth of Orlando Jones, who plays Clifford Franklin, as spice for a feelgood entrée.

If you're tired of the sausage of summer action movies perpetually coming from Hollywood's movie meatgrinder, relax, enjoy, and revel in "The Replacements."

I don't know how many times a year I watch this movie...but it's more than 1.

I JUST finished watching it again (on cable) and bought the DVD this past week at Sam's Club. This is a timeless,feel-good movie of triumphing over odds - and is done so well with memorable cast of unusually funny characters.

Gene Hackman and Keanu Reeves are stellar.

I'm NOT a football fan, yet I LOVE this movie.

2 Thumbs Up! Buy It!

I recently purchased this DVD as a gift for my husband so that we can both see it any time we please. We absolutely love this movie and watch it every time it is on our cable network! It's a great mix of humor, underdogs, pride, love and "heart". Gene Hackman, a favorite of ours, is excellent in his role as the coach and his honesty with "the replacements". Keanu Reeves, another favorite, is outstanding as the "comeback kid" who shows what pride, courage, and "heart" can make of a man (or woman). The whole team is funny, especially Angus, the soccer nee football player. Jon Favreau and the scene in the jail cell involving the team, after their little scuffle is hilarious with their disco dance to "I Will Survive". If you haven't seen this yet, I highly suggest you watch it -- you'll be hooked!

There is not big secret to the plot of this movie. You have seen it before, in movies like Major League, but the comedy in this movie is second to none.

Amidst a players strike the Washington Sentinels hire replacement players and coaches to finish the season. With only three more wins the Sentinels can make the playoffs. Enter Gene Hackman. He is the maverick coach that brings in the most unlikely group of players the league has ever seen. In just a few weeks he works his magic and tries to transform this group of losers into a winning team. Hackman is probably to greatest actor on the planet, and he proves why in this movie. He takes an ordinary script with average dialogue and delivers it in such a way to make you feel and believe what he is saying. Keanu Reeves is the "Never Was" quarterback who does his best to lead the team to victory, and along the way falls in love with the head cheerleader. Along the way he has to deal with angry striking players, and a bevy of nuts that have given up their day jobs to play professional football. The group includes an insane S.W.A.T. cop, a felon on work release, a Sumo wrestler, two professional body guards, and the fastest grocery clerk on the planet played brilliantly by Orlando Jones (the 7UP guy).

The action is well paced and the football sequences look real enough to please the avid football fan. Veteran announcers John Madden and Pat Summerall lend their talents to the film and give that added touch of realism. Hackman is the consummate wise old coach, and Reeves gives a passable performance as the struggling quarterback. Even the romantic scenes are well written and evenly placed within the film, but the real star of this movie is the in your face slapstick, side splitting humor peppered throughout the film. From the cheerleader tryouts to the dancing huddle you will be laughing from start to finish.

You smile a lot in this movie. You smile at the comedy, you smile at the triumph (not that you couldn't see that coming) and you smile at the love story.

Then..."Are you ready for some football?!?"

And in spite of the fact that this is a comedy that is supposed to have nothing but b-list "players", the football sequences are really, really, good. And really, Gene Hackman gives a huge performance, not that you would expect less from the man. Keanu Reeves is his ever one cardboard like self, but the man is consistant, so we can pretty much let that slide. And Orlando Jones leads a great cast of supporting actors that really help make this movie above average.

Take some time to enjoy this movie, because it's not often that you can get in some smashmouth foot ball scenes right after a good laugh.

The Replacements is a cracking, feel good movie, with a great soundtrack, which matches the film completely.

There's a lot more action in this than there was in Keanu Reeves' other "sport" movie, Hardball. If you don't know much about American football, then it's pretty easy to follow. The only thing I found difficult was trying to figure out which player was which, with all their gear on!

It's surprisingly funny at the same time, and you're always laughing! Whether its during the bar fight (don't mess with the BIG guys) or the extremely camp dancing to "I Will Survive" in the jail, you'll be crying with laughter.

Rhys Ifans is a great choice for this, as are all of the actors. I wouldn't have said Keanu was the best choice for this, as he has a hockey background (which was gave him the nickname "The Wall" when he was younger), and it must have taken a lot of training for all the actors to act like professional football players.

Of course, you're got to have the cheerleaders in a football movie. And since all the players have been replaced, the cheerleaders need to be replaced too. Cue some very bad cheerleading from not very nice looking girls. And then the cheerleaders are . . . strippers. Thankfully, they don't strip, although their "routine" is very suggestive, and definitely distracts all the players.

You've got the obvious storyline too - Shane Falco (Keanu) falls in love with the head cheerleader (Annabelle Farrell). Never heard that storyline before.

If you're a fan of Friends (how come all the movies I watch have a character from Friends in it?!) look out for Jon Favreau, who played Monica's boyfriend, Pete, from some of the earlier seasons. He was the guy who was the multi-millionaire, who became a wrestler, and lost Monica.

The extras are pretty basic, and they could have done so much more. You've got the trailer (a must-have for me) which is actually really good, and also the commentary, "The Making of the Replacements" and "Making the Plays: An Actor's Guide to Football". "The Making Of . . ." is presented by Orlando Jones, who is so camp, its not funny! It's not really the greatest making of I've ever seen though.

If you don't like "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, probably not the best idea to watch this movie. It gets played a lot! But there are a lot of great songs, so now I'm after the soundtrack. Rumour has it; there's a Dogstar song tucked away in the soundtrack, so I'll be getting my hands on that!

If you're a sports fan you'll love this. If you like Keanu Reeves, you'll love this. If you like a laugh, you'll love this! Don't make me watch the bar fight again, cos there was nearly an accident! A great movie, which I wasn't expecting to be good.

"The Replacements" has been touted as a remake of "Major League". Nothing could be further from the truth... "Major League" is about a down and out professional baseball team with an owner that tried to destroy their indomitable spirit, only to inspire their manager to lead them on to victory. In "The Replacements", the owner, Ed O'Neil (Jack Warden), wants nothing more than to WIN after being abandoned by his overpaid professional players and coaches to an NFL strike. What they share are comedic and uplifting attributes.

Desperate to achieve his goal, O'Neil hires a formerly "fired" head coach, Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman), who has an unorthodox approach to getting the job done. Jimmy takes on the job after O'Neil guarantees non-interference in the make-up of the "team". He then gathers a collection of players whom he believes have unrecognized and overlooked talent... athletes who, for the most part, failed to "shine" in the eyes of the NFL scouts.

As he initially identifies the key players to his staff, the film switches to a brief clip of their present day existence... a key element to the plot. We see that he is virtually pulling people with athletic ability "off the street" into the arena of professional football. Concurrent to the formation of the team, the film includes an audition of various "ladies" to fill the positions of cheerleaders... as the season has progressed to having only four games remaining before the playoffs, I am presuming that these positions were vacated by the strike also. The lead cheerleader, Annabelle Farrell (Brooke Langton), has difficulty maintaining her composure as some of these auditions are absolutely hilarious. Annabelle is the #1 Sentinels fan. She doesn't date football players, especially quarterbacks. The film shifts between the auditions and the "practice" sessions where we see the players character development.

Brilliantly portrayed is DEA agent Danny Bateman (Jon Favreau), an over aggressive line backer that is the epitome of a silent type with basic "animal instincts". Throughout the film, he "abuses" his teammates as much as the opposition. Bateman initially has disdain for Earl Wilkinson/Ray Smith (Michael Jace), a former pro football player serving time for assaulting police officers. "Smith" is "on loan" from the Maryland Penal System. The Jackson brothers, Jamal (Faizon Love) and Andre (Michael Taliferro), play the guards... both ON and OFF the field. Sumo wrestler Jumbo Fumiko (Ace Yonamine) brings elements of humor as a loveable character that you wouldn't care to have sit on you. The "preacher", Walter Cochran (Troy Winbush), is a former pro running back who's hope for fame had been dashed by a knee injury. Brian Murphy (David Denman), is a deaf receiver with a superior natural talent for running the patterns. The kicker, Nigel `The Leg' Gruff (Rhys Ifans), is a Welch soccer player with a gambling problem that can kick a ball the length of the field. Another brilliant performance is that of receiver Clifford Franklin (Orlando Jones), he could be the fastest man alive, he might be "hall of fame" material, too bad he can't catch a Twinkie... BUT he maintains his "I will survive" attitude up into the final moments of the film! To round out the team we have the quarterback, Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves)... a former brilliant college player that fell flat on his face during a bowl game. Keanu Reeves appears to be a natural for this roll... and with John Madden calling colorful play by plays with straight man commentary by Pat Summerall, his long time co-announcer, you at times forgot that THIS... IS A MOVIE!

"The strikers", Eddie Martel (Brett Cullen), an unmotivated, mean-spirited, self serving, former superbowl winning QB, and his cohorts Wilson Carr (Archie L. Harris) and Malcolm La Mont (Evan Dexter Parke) provide ample controversy and tend to make "The Replacements" more endearing with every encounter that occurs in the plot.

The story takes you through the four final weeks/games of the regular season. The Sentinels have to win three to make the playoffs... the only way they can do it is if everyone plays their absolute best... including the cheerleaders... who are an intricate part of their successes on the field. The team gets off to a rough start, they have trouble with the most basic element of the game... the huddle. They set new records for P E N A L T I E S. The choreography of the plays is superb with an abundance of humor. The dialogue has elements of corn, but also elements of inspiration. The team develops an admirable cohesion both on and off the field. They are two and one as "the strikers" cross picket line on the day before the fourth game against Dallas. Interspersed throughout the story are poignant introspective moments of various key characters. In the course of the plot, "The Replacements" prove to be very loyal and likeable characters. They become a TEAM, but for them, after game four, there is no tomorrow.

So grab a beverage of choice and an assortment of munchies and sit back and enjoy this sometimes melodramatic, sometimes romantic, and mostly funny escape from reality. I'm not a big fan of professional football but after watching this film several times, I have discovered that football can really be very entertaining!