replacements

I love football.

Okay, I used to hate it in high school, but that was because the team used to stuff me in lockers
and trashcans. But I have since been to my high school reunion and all those guys are balding,
fat alcoholics with few prospects. While I, on the other hand, am still trim and naturally athletic with
a mane of rock star hair. What can I say; theater kids are late bloomers.

But I love football…now.

The only thing better is the football comedy. And “The Replacements” is the king of that genre.

Professional football players have gone on strike and left the ball clubs in a financial rut just before
the playoffs. The owner of the Washington Sentinels pulls in retired coach Jimmy McGinty, played
by Gene Hackman, to help put together a replacement team in order to finish out the season.
Hackman enlists Keanu Reeves, an infamous college quarterback who ended his career with a
crushing defeat. And Keanu Reeves name in this film you ask? Shane “Footsteps” Falco; quite
possibly the greatest character name in a sports film ever conceived.

Point of interest: Reeves is trim and naturally athletic with a mane of rock star hair. Hhhmmm.
Interesting. The guys that dream of sports stardom in high school move on to run their own
landscaping business and beat their kids. While the guys who were picked on by these chodes go
on to portray the embodiment of sports stardom. I know, I know, I’m belaboring the point, but back
off! This is therapeutic.

Anywho, Falco reluctantly agrees to lead the replacement Sentinels and try to erase the memory
of his haunting college ball career. Coach McGinty puts together a motley crew of players with
diverse backgrounds and talents. Among them, the always-funny Orlando Jones as a lightning
fast wide receiver who can’t catch and Jon Favreau as a SWAT officer with anger management
issues. The new Sentinels must face off against semi-professional teams, the angry professional
players on strike, unsupportive fans and a greedy ball club in order to make it to the playoffs. On
top of all this they have to overcome their personal demons, learn to trust each other and gel as a
football team. And yes, this is a comedy. And a damn fine one.

The humor derives from strong situational comedy and confident comedic talent. This film manages to find a nice balance between subtle, smart humor and off
the wall antic comedy. It always feels grounded and never goes too far with its jokes that you can’t take it seriously when you have too. Hackman and Reeves
are solid in their leadership roles, giving the supporting cast two strong “straight” men to play off of.

This film has as much heart as it does laughs. An endearing performance by Hackman and solid writing gives this film a firm base to jump from. There are
great developmental moments for the characters that are allowed to play out naturally, without any forcing or rushing. The relationships seem real and grow as
the film progresses. Reeves’ interactions with Hackman are convincing and truthful. The same can be said for his chemistry with his love interest; the lead
cheerleader played by a refreshingly unknown talent named Brooke Langton.

The football action sequences in this movie are energetic and fun without being so chaotically edited that you can’t tell what’s going on. They are the perfect
blend of sports action, hero worship, physical comedy and sex appeal (provided by the strippers turned replacement cheerleaders). John Madden and Pat
Summerall even make guest appearances as themselves and add a great air of authenticity to the game coverage.

This is a feel good sports comedy that never falls into the realm of cheesy. It delivers solid laughs, kinetic football action and a sense of justice for the underdog
that is original in its message. You’ll have to see the film to know what I mean by that, but I think you’ll be glad you did. GO FALCO!!!