Customer Reviews

That Championship Season [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Overall I enjoyed this movie very much, after a slow start. It was adapted from a play, and this shows; especially in the fact that the action is set almost entirely in one location. At first I thought this made the movie a little boring, but as the plot and characters developed it actually became quite interesting.

The movie is very much character driven, it is about four ex-basketball players and their coach who get together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of a championship win at the coach's house. All five principal characters are flawed and to an extent dissatisfied with their lives. The storyline is basically about how these flaws and frustrations create conflict between the characters and how all of these tensions come to the surface on this night.

I thought that the acting was excellent, and even though the characters come across as ammoral and even pathetic, the viewer can relate to them because they are after all, flawed humans, just like everyone else. My only criticism would be of Gary Sinise's character; an alcholic whose role in the film was mainly to show-up the weaknesses of the other characters. His sarcastic remarks became a little annoying firstly because what he was pointing out was obvious anyway; and secondly because he was hardly a model of a well-adjusted person himself.

So I would definitely recommend this movie as an interesting character study.

I cant beileve that this movie has only rented seven times in the video store i work in. It is the best drama iv'e seen in a long time great acting from everybody especially Paul Sorvino. It will make think about your life and what happens when you get close to too 40. And also being betrayed by your closest friends

It burns me. Leonard Maltin's 2005 movie review doesn't even mention this version. The 1982 version, which he does mention, cannot even compare. That version, with Robert Mitchum, was ill-conceived and Mitchum was miss-cast. But the performances by all in this 1999 version is outstanding, especially Paul Sorvino who appeared in both versions.
Both Sorvino's acting and directing in this movie is top shelf and I believe a reflection of his experience from having been in the earlier version. There will, of course, be someone who will see racism, male superiority complex, etc which of course is all bull. The fact is that this movie is just plain great acting and directing with outstanding character developement and is worth watching over and over again.

DM

This is the second attempt to bring this thought provoking play to the mass market, this time through a TV movie now in rental. Thoreau is quoted as saying: "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." This play peels away the layers of self delusion to reveal such desperation in the insecurities, disappointments, unrealized potential and mediocrity of four men and a coach who's lives peaked in high school when they won the state basketball championship.

It is, unfortunately, a depiction too familiar to the many who never escaped their small town or neighborhood and live trying to salvage some feeling of dignity from the mediocrity and despair to which they have allowed their lives to sink.

At the 20th reunion at the coach's house (Paul Sorvino) the characters gradually reveal how pathetic their lives have become. There is the bitter coach, a unabashed bigot who still talks to grown men like they were teenaged basketball players and who believes all of life can be summed up in sports aphorisms.

James (Terry Kinney), a junior high school principal, is by far the most self delusional of the five, clearly a loser who never changed with the times, he believes he has a bright future in politics when he couldn't get elected to a sanitation post.

George (Tony Shalhoub) plays the mayor of Filmore, who has bungled his term in office and will imminently be voted out. He spends most of this time trying to convince himself and everyone else how popular and wonderful he is, when it is clear to everyone that he is a fool.

Phil (Vincent D'Onofrio) is a spoiled little rich boy who inherited his father's business which is now raping the environment for profit. He supports George's campaign so he can get variances that allow him to profit from this abuse.

Tom (a fabulous performance by Gary Sinese) is James brother, a vagabond alcoholic who ironically is the only one who sees the situation with any clarity. He is openly cynical of himself and the others and constantly speaks with justifiable disgust about all his peers and their miserable lives.

The problem with this and most plays that try to go to film is that unless the director adds uniqueness visually, or through the set, location, props or costumes, it just looks like you are watching a play through a window. Since you have lost the power of the live performance, it always loses something in translation.

Sorvino, as the director, failed to do this. He clearly focused on the actors performances (which were all exceptional) and did a brilliant job of recreating a great play on film. That did not make it a great film. It made it seem overly long and tedious. As a play I would give it a 9, as a film a 6.

This is not a film for everyone. One needs to get into a philosophical frame of mind and prepare to see an interesting character study of some very miserable characters. If you are an avid theater goer and can handle a downbeat drama about the failings of common people, I strongly recommend it. Otherwise look for some lighter fare.

This is a top notch drama with top notch actors. This story is the 20 year reunion of a basketball team and the coach that took them to the state championship, and this movie takes place in the coaches house. The scenery doesn't change, but what is impeckable with this story is the sudden changes between humor and seriousness; and not to mention the sudden changes between comoradarie and disbandonment. This story is more political than I care for, but easy to follow.

Okay, I bought this for my Vincent D'Onofrio collection...and watched it just to say I'd watched it. D'Onofrio puts in one of his "bad boy" performances...he's the man your Mother rightfully warned you about! But, as usual, he plays the part so realistically that you love him in spite of his many flaws. There is a strong cast here and some interesting insights into the male mind, how it works, and what happens when it doesn't work all that well! There's a particular situation where the love of a woman vs male bonding...that alone is worth the watching. While this isn't a film for everyone, it's a surprisingly revealing film and I'm certainly glad it's in my D'Onofrio collection. For sports fans, this is a winner. For those who like to study relationships, expecially male relationships, this movie will be worth your time. It has a way of haunting you for a while after you see it. Enjoy!

The movie is definitly unique and not for everyone but in my opion the best movie iv'e seen in ages.The diologue in the movie is very sophisticated and the acting very powerful there is so much going on you really have to listen.After having a close circle of friends iv'e started to realize what the movie is all about doubting your friends and being betrayed by them.And also realizing that your not were you want to be in life each character is very diffrent and is dealing with diffrent issues. This movie in some respects is better than these action blockbuster hits if your in to serious and sophisticated drama. This movie is for you watch it i garauntee you will be moved watch it when your happy or sad it doesent matter.This film cant be bashed except for the fact there is to much swearing. You might say oh it sounds to deppresing it is at times but so is real life that's what this movie is. True and sad reality and haning on to friendships.If you think this movie is bad you'd best email me and tell me beaugraham@hotmail.com

A must see for everyone. This is a movie for the 21st
century in the world of athletics and politics. A group
of men who won their high school basketball trophy for
the best team come together for a reunion. It then re-
volves into their ensuing history of the last 20 years
and the different directions their lives have taken them.
Very intense and somewhat sad, but wonderful story and
acting.

This is a made-for-TV version of the Jason Miller Pulitzer-prize winning play. It's a good film, but it's just not as good as the 1982 movie version with the fantastic Robert Mitchum as the coach of a high school championship team, reuniting for the 24th anniversary of their team's success.

The movie talks to guys, mostly, I think, although who knows, maybe female athletes have the same somber realization of the passing of time as men do.

Paul Savino is the only returning cast member that I'm aware of; he played a player in the movie version; here, he plays the coach. He does a good job in both.

The TV movie has gotten uneven reviews, justifiably in my opinion. I think it's the actors in this version just don't do as good of a job as in the filmed version, though Sinise's acting is very good, as is D'Onofrio's.

Moderately recommended, especially if you've seen the original version, for comparison purposes. Three stars.

A very disappointing and tedious exercise that will hopefully prevent Paul Sorvino from directing another film. Except for another fine performance by Gary Sinise, don't expect to be moved, either physically or emotionally. It flows like a series of cliched bigotries, with no specific direction. The dialog spoken by the coach (Sorvino) is as vitriolic as the Edward Norton character in American History X, (and would most certainly be embraced by neo-Nazi groups). But at least in that movie, Norton's character experienced some ultimate redemption. In this film, the audience receives nothing in return for spending 2 hours with a quintet of pathetic white males. Yuck.