What would you do if you had nothing to lose? Not many of us ever get a chance to answer that question; to take a chance on something great or perhaps to rediscover what it would feel like to relive your glory days. “The Replacements” tries in earnest to show us what that feels like, and it succeeds in many aspects.
Although American football may not be considered America’s Pastime, its popularity can’t be denied; it is a multi-billion dollar industry, under continued scrutiny for numerous reasons including player safety and its social impact. Watching a game or two on Sunday afternoons and having some delicious food and drink represent some of my fondest memories; living in a sports town whose residents embrace the hometown team like they would their own family is simply euphoric.
The achievements of athletes and sports teams have been portrayed on-screen numerous times: “Rudy,” “The Mighty Ducks,” and “The Blind Side” to name a few of the better known examples. These are emotional stories of overcoming much against all odds. While “The Replacements,” directed by Howard Deutch, may not be in the same league as these more prolific sports films, it is still an enjoyable experience.
Keanu Reeves, fresh off his iconic role as ‘Neo’ in “The Matrix,” is washed-up former quarterback Shane Falco. He’s living an existence at the proverbial bottom of the barrel, scraping barnacles off of boats. Best known for a disastrous performance in a college bowl game, he is offered an opportunity for redemption and he takes it. This is a true underdog story, which will surely resonate with viewers the same way it does with the fans of real-life athletes and sports teams. Even if you don’t consider yourself a sports fan, you can’t help but feel the drive, and the will to overcome the odds and pull off what seems like an impossible victory in these situations.
Jon Favreau and Rhys Ifans in a scene from “The Replacements” (Warner Bros., 1987).
Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) is tasked with building a team of replacement players to help secure a playoff spot for the Washington Sentinels; four games to play, three of which are must-wins, this should be an easy enough task. Right? Not at all. Reeves is the quintessential, ‘all American’ guy and is completely believable as Falco, along with the rag tag bunch of players (including Orlando Jones, Rhys Ifans, and Jon Favreau in an overly energetic, enthusiastic role). It’s apparent these actors really enjoyed filming together; to believe they were an exclusive team their chemistry had to seem real, and it does.
There are numerous antics throughout (those involving a few different vehicles come to mind), and a lot of posturing between the replacement players and the professionals— the story is loosely based on the NFL Players Association strike in 1987, and those replacement players were subject to a great deal of mistreatment by both the professional players and fans alike. The harassment portrayed on-screen here is light-hearted (likely far less than what the ‘real life’ replacement players endured), and it helps to cement the players’ bonds with one another. They form a brotherhood in a short period of time, knowing they only have this one chance to prove something for themselves and to each other.
Sprinkled into the story is a blossoming romance between cheerleader Annabelle (Brooke Langton) and Falco; while it is charming, it is predictable and adds little depth to the story. This could have been written out entirely; however her character does represent a sense of community Falco has been missing for quite some time.
As a lifelong sports fan, I’ll watch and gladly rewatch most sports films, and this is no exception. This is a light, enjoyable film that puts a goofy grin on my face every time I watch it. I’ll caution some that there are some common stereotypes here, but this isn’t the type of movie that pushes any intellectual boundaries. With that, I will look forward to the next rewatching of “The Replacements” as I say goodbye to my real-life football Sundays (for now).
