SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Just like that for Keanu, I started watching this movie. But it's awesome. I really enjoyed it.

I'll be honest and say that until I read some reviews on here, I didn't realise that this was supposed to be a comedy. I will also qualify this review by admitting that I have no interest in American football and am not familiar with the game, rules, history or teams.I am, however, familiar with the formulaic story of a bunch of sporting misfits come good under the guidance of an inspirational coach (Hackman) - having seen it repeated seemingly a dozen times. The truly talented player who missed out on the big-time (Reeves) is able to clarify what is really needed to the other meatheads in the team. I'm sure you can see where this is leading.This 'comedy' brings nothing new to the table and makes the support cast even more irritating and unlikeable than usual vehicles of this type. The cheerleaders are gruesome and (obviously) too stupid to spell out the name of team they're cheerleading (is that a verb?) for.The head cheerleader (and waitress/bartender) loves footbaall but doesn't date players (unless it's Keanu Reeves) in the same way that the waitress never dates pilots/soldiers/political advisors blah blah. The prolonged gaze they share across the bar is as close as the movie gets to comedy - and I suspect that that was unintentional.And a special word for John Favreau, who as everyone knows, has gone on to excel in all fields of movie-making. This is one of the most stupid and annoying characters ever to have inhabited a sporting movie. Ifans comes a close second.All in all, its all been done before - and a lot better. There's a lot of shouting, a lot of pointing, a lot of shouting 'let's go' and commentators amazed at the things they are witnessing on the field. They should have asked me - I could tell them exactly what was going to happen from the opening frame.

The Replacements is the kind of movie they should be showing in film school. We can all look at Chinatown, Don't Look Now, Witness, Bringing Up Baby, Tokyo Monogatari, ET, Tootsie or Crimson Tide and see why they work well. It would be more of a challenge to take a heap of dung like The Replacements and say, "Right, fix that." They ticked off all the boxes; a reluctant hero steps up for one final chance at glory and redemption. Mentored by a grizzly old coach, supported by a wacky but loyal group of peers, he battles adversity, wins the game, and gets the girl. It could be Major League with more heart, or Bull Durham with more laughs.Except it doesn't work. It isn't funny (I felt for Gene Hackman trying to wring a laugh out of mis-pronouncing 'wiry', I just wanted to go up and pat him on the back, say 'never mind, mate', buy him a beer...), and there is zero drama. The prison dance routine to 'I Will Survive' probably takes the prize for worst scene of all. I think they tried for a pastiche, aiming at camp, but it is just... so bad. It is like watching one of those cabaret circuit stand-up comics dying slowly on stage, determined to make it through his routine despite the rising indifference of the audience. This is an absolute train-crash, bombed out horror of a movie, a real lesson in 'How Not To.' It does for the sports genre what Wing Commander did for sci-fi. I hope someone one day gets to record Hackman answering the question "Why?". The other actors can at least say, "I wanted to work with Gene Hackman." What on earth is his excuse?

The football season approaches and I searched around for football movies that "make a difference." But I can honestly say for me The Replacements with Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman occupies a special status in the football-movie heavens. I've watched it many times and have been thoroughly amused even inspired on each occasion. So what's the appeal? Probably that it's more escapist fun with a lot of very cool music, clever humor, and wicked choreography than you find in more realistic portrayals. ... For my complete review of this movie and for other movie and book reviews, please visit my site TheCoffeeCoaster.com.Brian Wright Copyright 2007