The Replacements (DVD, 2000)

From the day the first studio opened in Hollywood in a former farmer's field, there were more people who wanted to be in the movie business than there were jobs available. Today, nearly a century later, this situation remains unchanged. Surely thousands of talented and creative people have been turned away by now, yet still the movie business seems to have more than its fair share of incompetents. Perhaps it is true that what the mediocre do best is to defend their turf.
Take The Replacements - please! If someone hadn't apparently cast a spell on Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman which caused them accept roles in this effort, then it would have no reason at all to exist.

The Washington Sentinels football team is having an okay season until its league has a players' strike with only four games left until the playoffs. The gruff old owner [Jack Warden] begs his team's former coach, Jimmy McGinty [Gene Hackman], to work for him again. His idea is to finish the season with replacement players, aka scabs. McGinty happens to have a list in his head of potential players, most of whom have missed their chance at glory and have dropped off the face of the Earth. One of these is Shane Falco [Keanu Reeves], an ex-college quarterback whose former team suffered the worst defeat in Sugar Bowl history. Shane now scraps barnacles off boats for a living. Other replacements include a sumo wrestler, a soccer player, a deaf-mute and a guy who is fresh out of prison. McGinty has one week to whip these men into shape. For some reason, the cheerleaders have gone missing, too, and it is up to Annabelle [Brooke Langton] to recruit new ones. Meanwhile, the striking players have nothing better to do than to hassle the replacements.

I do not expect a movie always to mirror real life. Still

Another fantastic "under-dog" film! The much heavier, sporty Keanu Reeves does a wonderful job pulling of an almost pro quarterback... he with Gene Hackman as his coach, work well together... Reeves and Brooke Langton have "it" together as well... I love the imbarrasing kiss scene - one can feel his hesitation and shyness... Rhys Ifans is his usual fun loving quirky character, while Brett Cullen does a great job making you hate his character, Eddie Martel... It's a fun movie that I will watch again....

Let me state some basic point here.

A lot of people panned this movie.
I am NOT a sports movie fan.
I am not a football fan.

That being said I enjoyed this movie immensely!
Gene Hackman, a retired football coach, is brought in during a strike in pro football, to make a replacement team to play during the strike.
Keanu Reeves plays a "never has been" quarterback, given a second chance.
Rhys Ifans (from Notting Hill) plays a placekicker, and had me rolling with laughter. Watch for him in a lockeroom interview.

Toss in Orlando Jones, Faizon Love, and Jon Favreau, well you have a uniquely funny poignant story.

And reflects my attitude about professional sports players exactly.

Keanu Reeves as a has been football player is perfect in this part. Gene Hackman recruits a group of players to make up a team during a football strike. The team bonds together when they are all thrown in jail and you've gotta see when they all get up and dance! It's not your typical sports movie, but you'll love it. Oh, and be sure to watch the cheerleaders when they do one of their naughty routines that throws the players on the other team for a loop! Very funny . . . see it.

The theme of the movie-people who are given a second chance to live their
dream, is brought forth brilliantly in the Replacements. It is definitely
an excellent feel good movie and funny with superb performance by Gene Hackman
,Keanu Reeves, the cast members who play Reeves' teamates and the
hilarious makeshift cheeleading squad.