The Replacements (2000)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Howard Deutch

Writer (WGA):

Vince McKewin (written by)

Release Date:

11 August 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

Pain heals, Chicks dig scars... Glory lasts forever

Plot:

During a pro football strike, the owners hire substitute players.

Plot Keywords:

Strike | Sumo | Labor Strike | Bar Fight | Cheerleader

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 16

4:30 PM

HBO

Cast

Keanu Reeves	...	Shane Falco
Gene Hackman	...	Jimmy McGinty
Brooke Langton	...	Annabelle Farrell
Orlando Jones	...	Clifford Franklin
Faizon Love	...	Jamal Jackson
Michael Taliferro	...	Andre Jackson (as Michael 'Bear' Taliferro)
Ace Yonamine	...	Jumbo
Troy Winbush	...	Walter Cochran
David Denman	...	Brian Murphy
Jon Favreau	...	Daniel Bateman
Michael Jace	...	Earl Wilkinson / Ray Smith
Rhys Ifans	...	Nigel 'The Leg' Gruff
Gailard Sartain	...	Pilachowski
Art LaFleur	...	Banes
Brett Cullen	...	Eddie Martel

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some crude sexual humor and language.

Runtime:

118 min | Australia:114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Germany:12 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:7 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Bel Air Entertainment

Trivia:

The lunch scene during the practice was filmed in the Press Lounge at PSINet Stadium.

Goofs:

Continuity: The team name disappears and reappears in the end zone between shots after the final touchdown.

Quotes:

Shane Falco: You're playing and you think everything is going fine. Then one thing goes wrong. And then another. And another. You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can't move... you can't breathe... because you're in over your head. Like quicksand.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Making the Plays: An Actor's Guide to Football (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Bohemian Like You

"There is no tomorrow for you, and that makes you very dangerous people."

Those are the words of coach (Hackman) before the final regular season game for the "replacement" players, filling in for the striking regulars. The "never-been" QB (Keanu Reeves) must try to lead them to victory.

"The Replacements" is primarily a good screwball comedy, in the vein of, but significantly better than, "Best of Show" and "The Waterboy." Some may even take a "message" away, about the importance of teamwork, belief in oneself, true love (QB and the head cheerleader). But that is all secondary.

I rate this one highly for pure escapism entertainment, but also with good acting by Reeves and Hackman, and some almost-believable football action, heavily interlaced with goofiness. The lap-dancers turned cheerleaders, who totally distract the opposing team. The tag-team vomiting during the huddle, after the Japanese sumo wrestler eats too many eggs before the game ("I gotta beef up!") The cop who, like in the "Waterboy", can get enraged (Coach says, "I want you to get me the ball," and he does.) The Welsh kicker who is "wirr-rrry strong" and smokes a cigarette while kicking. The "I will survive" dance in jail, after the barroom brawl with the 'regulars.'

To make a good screwball comedy, the writer and director have to walk a fine line and here they do it well. John Madden and Pat Summerall, playing announcers, are genuinely funny. The DVD picture, and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, are up to standards.