'The Replacements'
Pain heals, chicks dig scars, and 'The Rewatchables' lasts forever. The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Van Lathan revisit the debatable cult classic 2000 sports movie 'The Replacements,' starring Keanu Reeves, Gene Hackman, and Brooke Langton.
Cast
Keanu Reeves as Shane Falco
Gene Hackman as Jimmy McGinty
Brooke Langton as Annabelle Farrell
Jon Favreau as Daniel Bateman
Orlando Jones as Clifford Franklin
Rhys Ifans as Nigel Gruff
Jack Warden as Edward O'Neill
Keith David as Players' Union Head
Directed by: Howard Deutch
Written by: Vince McKewin
Notes
- The movie is loosely based on the 1987 NFL strike when teams hired replacement players. The Washington Redskins' strike players helped them eventually win the Super Bowl.
- $50 million budget, grossed $50.1 million. Despite losing money, it became a TNT/TBS staple for 24 years.
- The movie's central premise – striking players as greedy villains, scabs as heroes – has completely inverted culturally since 2000.
- Keanu Reeves took less money so the production could afford Gene Hackman.
- Jon Favreau plays a Brian Bosworth-type crazy linebacker – Bill's 2001 take calling it 'a career-ending performance' is a freezing cold take given Favreau became one of the most powerful people in Hollywood.
- Michael Jace, who played the ex-con running back, was convicted of second-degree murder in 2016 and sentenced to 40 years.
Categories
Quote from Rog's review:
“Slap happy entertainment. Painted in broad strokes, 2 coats thick.”
Both hosts disagreed with Ebert's low rating.
- The last 25 minutes – Eddie Martel crossing the picket line, Falco coming back at halftime, the fake field goal, the game-winner
- The 'I Will Survive' jail dance
- The quicksand speech
- Stripper cheerleaders – 1999-2002 MTV culture
- No concussion protocol – the deaf tight end gets hit and comes right back in
- Keanu Reeves in general – now cooler with John Wick history
- Sports labor discussions now read completely differently
- Madden and Summerall – nostalgic, miss them calling games
- Shane 'Footsteps' Falco as a nickname
- The Gary Glitter song
- Michael Jace convicted of second-degree murder in 2016
- Bill's 2001 take on Jon Favreau – freezing cold given Favreau's subsequent career
The final play where the penalty flag flies into the frame in real time rather than a hard cut
- 'I Will Survive' in jail – thematic to the movie
- 'We Can Be Heroes' by David Bowie as the ending song
- The premise that scabs are the heroes – in 2024, an impossible-to-root-for concept
- Keanu and Brooke Langton's chemistry – she's trying hard but Keanu never seems all-in on the romance
- Van: There should be actual strippers in real NFL stadiums
- Bill: We haven't made enough football movies – wants a four-year national commitment
- Eddie Martel's 'Falco. It's great to see you. Now get the hell out of my locker room, coach'
- Jon Favreau: 'Get me the ball!'
Brett Cullen as Eddie Martel – 'If I see him in anything, I just think he's Eddie Martel'
- Eddie Martel recast with Matt Dillon
- Steven Weber from Wings also suggested
- There was no Sugar Bowl in 1996
- Keanu gained 23 lbs for the role
- In the 'I Will Survive' dance scene, Keanu is replaced by a stunt double
- Movies about scabs – yes, the apex mountain of movies celebrating scabs
- 21st century football movies – Friday Night Lights or Remember the Titans
Shane Falco is an 'unbelievable Cruise.' If Cruise was in this movie, it makes $150-200 million.
- Shane Falco watches the first half on his boat, then arrives at the stadium in 3-4 minutes
- No backup QB on the roster after Falco leaves
- Nigel Gruff kicks a 65-yard field goal – would have been a record by 2 yards
- How bad was Falco's Sugar Bowl box score? Lost 45-0, Bill estimates 6 turnovers
- What kind of business was Annabelle running? She closes the bar for every game.
The Shane Falco jersey or the blue Washington Sentinels hat
'Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever'
Any Given Sunday – 'the last gasps of the NFL football movie'
Tough call – candidates include Brooke Langton, the stripper cheerleaders, and scabs as a concept
Craig: 'This one might only be a rewatchable because it's not a watchable.' The movie doesn't know what it is. Remember the Titans came out a month later and is superior in every way.