entering the theater to see this
Peter Berg picture, I was less than
inspired. Another sports movie?
Could this be another slice of "male
bonding," cliché, crap? My doubts
were quickly doused. Not only was
this movie not just another jock's
wet dream, but it was actually
enjoyable and acted out masterfully.
Billy Bob Thorton (surprisingly not
the best part of this movie) was
near his best and seemingly
realistic. Overall where this film
succeeded, as "Miracle" didn't, it
was a character piece, full of
domestic issues, from alcoholism
to parental abuse and added
something more than just noise and
a scoreboard to the genre. In
watching this picture, I enjoyingly
found more insight off the field than
upon it, making this probably the
first sports film since "Field of
Dreams" where i almost felt
compassion for the people in it. Not
necessary on the big screen, but
certainly worth its weight in six
dollars.
Recommended
