A Shot at Glory (2000)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Michael Corrente

Writer (WGA):

Denis O'Neill (written by)

Release Date:

12 July 2002 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Sometimes in life you only have one chance to win.

Plot:

Gordon McCloud is the manager of a second tier Scottish football team. Faced with pressure from his American owner...

Plot Keywords:

Football Team | Football | Football Manager | Fishing | Father Daughter Relationship

Cast

Andy Gray	...	Commentator 1
Finlay MacDonald	...	Eric the Bagpiper
Sheila Latimer	...	Widow Wilson
Robert Duvall	...	Gordon McCloud
Michael Keaton	...	Peter Cameron
Ally McCoist	...	Jackie McQuillan
Ida Schuster	...	Wee Brenda
Alex Howden	...	Horace
Bill Murdoch	...	Desmond
John McVeigh	...	Ian McVeigh
Scott G. Anderson	...	Alan Barnes (as Scott Anderson)
Cole Hauser	...	Kelsey O'Brian
John Martin	...	Brian Burns
Paul Agnew	...	Kilnockie Football Team
Ian Constable	...	Kilnockie Football Team

Also Known As:

Road to Glory (USA) (working title)
The Cup (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (VHS/DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 | USA:R | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Crail, Fife, Scotland, UK

Company:

Butcher's Run Films

Trivia:

Ally McCoist wanted the team to win at the end of the film to be Rangers and not Celtic, to make Rangers look the better side, in doing so, the script changed the teams around, making his part in the film that of a former Celtic player, which he also wasn't happy about.

Better than expected

This might not be a great movie, but it's a long way from being a bad one. The plot is standard sports movie material - plucky underdogs, previous grudges, former star slipping down the sports food chain, last chance at glory - but it's carried off with some style.

Robert Duvall is good, and draws on several well known soccer managers from UK mining towns for his portrayal. British viewers can play 'spot the managerial reference'. Reviewers in Scotland were critical of Duvall's accent, but it's not that bad, although it veers in to an Irish accent once or twice. Writing from Scotland, I would have thought it would sound pretty convincing to non-Scottish viewers.

Ally McCoist does well, and the references to his own career are entertaining. The football scenes are well done, and far better than some other soccer movies. Compared to 'Escape to Victory', for example, it's a soccer masterclass.

Our soccer-mad son would enjoy it, but the language in the movie and a sex scene makes it unsuitable (although the swearing is toned down compared to most football matches I've attended). Overall, a decent film that will probably increase in appeal over the years as the local furore over accents and football loyalties is forgotten.