It's pouring! It doesn't pour often in Los Angeles. Being so close to Hollywood, we automatically migrate to our local movie theaters on a rainy day. I got out of actually seeing "Confessions of a Shopaholic" at my daughter's 10th birthday party yesterday. First, I had to wait outside for a late arriving guest. The cake and gift bags needed to be taken to Fuddrucker's which didn't open up for a half hour after the movie started. My friend Gerry was with me after dropping off his daughter for the movie and there was already a 3 to 1 adult-child ratio since two of the moms couldn't wait to see it.
Now had there been a great sports movie on the schedule instead of "Shopaholic" I might not have ended up drinking Bloody Mary's at Barney's Beanery. Why are there so few really great sports movies? Sure, you've got Rocky, Hoosiers, Pride of the Yankees, Bad News Bears(the one with Matthau and O'Neal as if there was any doubt). I enjoyed "Cinderella Man" immensely and I'm still hurt it wasn't one of the favorites for "Best Picture" the year it came out. You see, I lost $50.00 on an internet gambling site betting on it to win the award at a good number.
I'm not writing about "Cinderella Man" today however. The movie I'm touting is not very well known. It came out in 1986. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the film is it has not one, but two major stars. It's titled "Best of Times". I'd like to start a fan club for this film and turn it into a cult classic. Maybe someday we can dress up like members of the cast and have a big viewing party or a "wrap party". Ok, sorry, too exuberant.
The movie is set in central California oil country, specifically the towns of Bakersfield and neighboring Taft between whom exists a lopsided high school football rivalry in Bakersfield's favor. Kurt Russell plays Reno Hightower, Taft's star quarterback from 1972. Reno's buddy, Jack Dundee played by Robin Williams is trying to garner support for a rematch of the 1972 game between the two schools in which Taft was poised to upset Bakersfield but a beautifully thrown bomb by Hightower in the games waning seconds fell innocently to the turf after slipping right through the hands of Dundee.
Everyone's moved on except for Dundee who manages to convince the Taft misfits including good friend Hightower. Russell's portrayal of Hightower is excellent. He manages to come off humble, not cocky, but confident. He's lukewarm at best, at least until halftime of the actual rematch. With Taft getting smacked in the mouth, embarrassed, and humiliated by arrogant Bakersfield, Reno decides to put on his old white cleats for the second half and leads Taft to a second half comeback.
The football scenes are so-so. Criticisms can certainly be made. The Bakersfield domination depicted in the first half would have led to a far greater lead than the 20-0 score we're given in the movie. Still, I enjoyed it enough to buy a copy and Reno Hightower gets my vote for best fictional sports name of all time. So, if it's ever raining in your neighborhood you could probably do worse than "Best of Times".
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This is a good topic Perry. I like "The Natural" with Robert Redford. It's the most authentic baseball movie I've seen with phenomenal acting.
The problem with sports movies is that often times the studios will hire a good actor(s) with very little coordination or athleticism and edit around the athletic portions of said movies, thus lacking realism. Redford is real, athletic, he's "The Natural" if you will.
The scenes of him throwing and hitting weren't tight one shots rather wide full body shots to secure the accuracy of his athletic prowess. He's believable as an aging player who by the grace of God got another opportunity to prove himself if only for one season.
Hoosiers would be my second. Again for the very same reasons I stated above. Good acting + athleticism = a quality sports movie you can believe in.
Post a Comment