BEFORE: Another office Christmas party last night, so I got home late again, and quite a bit tipsy again. Well, it is the merriest season of all... but I think I can kick off my football chain before turning in.
THE PLOT: A high school footballer desperate for a scholarship and his headstrong coach clash in a dying Pennsylvania steel town.
AFTER: I didn't really understand the mechanics of the jet-flying in "Top Gun", and unfortunately I'm just as clueless about the mechanics of the game of football. So I wasn't sure about the big game seen in this film - did Tom Cruise's character fail to listen to his coach, or did the coach make a crucial error in judgment? Something about not converting a safety - is that a thing? There seems to be a lot of debate online about this - taking the pass interference penalty, which caused a repeat of the first down, but it's mostly Greek to me.
What is important is what comes after the game, when Cruise's character sees his college prospects dwindle after he's cut from the team. And he starts to learn that life becomes a combination of getting what you want, and learning to want what you get.
But, thanks to Hollywood's patented 6-act structure, things always look darkest right before the dawn, which comes in Act 6. So, what's the take-away here, besides the fact that people who can throw and catch a football well have an easier time getting into college? The fact that you can mouth off to your coach, throw garbage at his house, mouth off to him AGAIN, and everything will still be OK at the end of the day?
This kid's attitude sucked - and it would be nice if his negative actions had lasting consequences. But nope! Give that boy a scholarship! He's obviously entitled...
Also starring Lea Thompson, Craig T. Nelson (last seen in "Where the Buffalo Roam"), Gary Graham (last seen in "Man Trouble", but more famous for "Alien Nation" and "Star Trek: Enterprise"), and Christopher Penn (last seen in "Mobsters")
RATING: 4 out of 10 jockstraps
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