Overrated and overhyped

Just what I expected

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

It is entertaining and lively and funny. All the things you want in a movie. Completely worth the price of admission!

I don't know much about American Football, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this film. Whilst it is primarily a sporting comedy - and there's a lot of laughs - it also has some serious point and Gene Hackman's presence adds gravitas. Apparently Reeves took a substantial play cut to get Hackman in the film and there's good chemistry (father/son) between the two. Reeves plays the film for drama and character and does a good job, bringing his famed physicality and dedication to character with incredibly dry humour (lovely comedy timing when he gets grass in his grill). The majority of the laughs come from the antics of the rest of the team, especially Rhys Ifans as the "wiry" Welsh chain smoking kicker, and Jon Favreau the SWAT team psychopath! Great physical comedy and for an adult film with a high-school peer pressure feel, it's suitable for young adults with not too much bad language and the love interest doesn't resort to explicit bedroom antics despite having a Hollywood leading man. Reeves was well cast - quiet, a commanding presence and perfectly happy throwing himself around. Gene Hackman of course was brilliant, dry and witty and the perfect coach to a bunch of wannabe, has been, washed up "scab" football players called in during a players strike. Brooke Langton (head cheerleader Annabelle Farrell) was really convincing and sweet. All great performances and despite it being predictable and a little cheesy it's great feel-good watching. Hey where else do you see Keanu singing Gloria Gaynor's I will survive and doing the electric slide??

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?

This story is based on Tony Robinson, a star UT Vol quarterback who's off the field exploits landed him in jail following a great college career. During the NFL strike of '87 he engineered one of the greatest sports upsets of all time by leading the Redskins to a 13-7 victory against the Cowboys, who had already returned they're star players to the field. It was a big deal at the time not only because of the upset, but because Tony Robinson was a black quarterback in the NFL at a time when you hardly ever saw black QB's. Of course, the Skins won the Super Bowl that same year with Doug Williams at QB, the first black QB to play in the big game. However, Hollywood whitewashed this story like it does with so many by casting a very white Keanu Reeves to play the role. If this was a movie about replacement surfers, Keanu would be perfect. However in this stinker, he's horrible. This could have been a great comedy with a light hearted inspirational tale. Trust me on this, it's not.