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:

Wed. July 8	2:30 PM	HBO
Sat. July 11	11:00 AM	HBO
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:

Factual errors: Towards the end of the second game when the team is attempting an onside kick, Shane Falco is on the field and actually tackles Danny Batemen to prevent the clock from expiring. Quarterbacks generally do not participate in kick-offs, onside or regular. They are usually resting and preparing for the next offensive series.

Quotes:

Jimmy McGinty: I want you to know that if anything like this bar fight happens again, there'll be no place on the football team for any of you!... Do I make myself perfectly clear?
Washington Sentinels: Yes coach.
Jimmy McGinty: And just for the record, I would've loved to have been there to see Martel get his ass kicked!

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Ziplock

Brilliant, fuzzy, feel good movie.

I haven't bothered watching professional football since Joe Montana retired but this movie got me interested again. While I can appreciate the comments of other reviewers that it is a formula movie and has many inaccuracies when it comes to the football action it is pure and unadulterated fun. The bottom line is this movie is downright funny, from start to finish. The cast are absolutely wonderful and the casting director did a brilliant job of bringing this gang together. Gene Hackman of course is perfect as the coach.... "I'll pull you off the field you spoiled son of a bitch".... Rhys Ifans absolute perfection as Gruff (after a **** you remark from Jimbo) "You'll have to find your dick first Shamu", to the shoot em up bros from the hood, to "get me the ball, get me the ball" The acting was absolutely wonderful in this movie. I have to admit I didn't like the guy that played Martell but perhaps that's because I wasn't supposed to like him, perhaps it shows what a good job he did. And Keanu, dear, sweet, so maligned Keanu, I read a reviewer once who said of Keanu's acting that it is "almost transparent" and in this movie it is, he doesn't eat scenery he just does his job, low key, perfectly in character, and for those who know anything at all about acting all you have to do is watch his eyes. He has a Harrison Ford like quality of being able to express a wealth of emotions with his eyes and in this movie he pulls it off perfectly. I also read somewhere that during the making of this movie it was discovered that Keanu really did have "an arm" and at one point threw a 69 yard pass. I have seen this movie in excess of 20 times and will no doubt see it 20 more times, it is the best feel-good movie I have ever seen. When I want drama and suspense I will watch "The Green Mile" when I want simple, comedy that just leaves me with a huge grin I will watch the replacements. Oh yeah and I just want to kiss the person who put Keanu in a No. 16 uniform *S*