BLUE CHIPS
A film review by Mark Takacs
Copyright 1994 Mark Takacs
Paramount Pictures / rated PG-13
Starring: Mary McDonnell Shaquille O'Neal J.T. Walsh
Ed O'Neill Alfre Woodard Nick Nolte
Classification: Sports Drama
Tak Rating: see once at full price
One-Line-Summary ---------------- A coach fights corruption within himself and the system as he tries to assemble a winning basketball team.
Tak Plot Summary ---------------- Coach Pete Bell (NICK NOLTE) is facing his first losing season and doesn't like it, but can't compete for the best high school talent (the Blue Chips) unless he breaks the rules and offers "enticements." Ex-wife Jenny (MARY McDONNELL) knows Pete plays by the rules, but wealthy alumni Happy (J.T. Walsh) is more than eager to tempt him, with reporter Ed (ED O'NEILL) waiting if Pete should slip.
Tak Thoughts ------------ This sports movie focuses on one coach's love for the game of basketball. He is passionate about the game and would do almost anything to have the best team. He can't stand the corruption almost inherent in the game--"You've taken the one thing really pure in your life ... and you've corrupted it." But he can't have the best team without that corruption, which provides the focus for the movie.
There are lots and lots of real basketball stars and legends in BLUE CHIPS. You can't watch 5 minutes without tripping over a real-life basketball player, coach, or sports caster. Oddly enough, it works, and you don't have to be a huge basketball fan. (I'm not)
The basketball action is exciting and energetic, both players and crowd were real and it shows. Since all the games were played with real players, the film makers had no problem filling the bleachers--the action was filmed in four standing-room-only games in Indiana. Nick Nolte: "We had ten cameras working but nobody was aware of where the cameras were and the filming never interfered with the game. It wasn't like filming at all."
The few basketball figures who can't seem to act well come off a bit flat, but none of them have more than cameo appearances, with the possible exception of legend Bob Cousy, who my friend commented on with--"You can tell which ones are basketball people--they can't act." While this may be true for Bob Cousy (arguably) and Shaquille O'Neal, Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway did a great job as Butch, the clean-cut talent from Chicago.
It would seem Nick Nolte's been really busy--I'LL DO ANYTHING and BLUE CHIPS both released within a week of each other. It's a testimony to his acting ability that he performs excellently in both movies, with a completely different character in each. As coach Bell, Nolte is the complete coach: hot-headed, intelligent, and dedicated to the game he loves. He looks more like a coach than the real coaches in the film--Bobby Knight, Rick Pitino, and George Raveling.
Mary McDonnell put in a strong supporting performance as Jenny. You'll also see Ed O'Neill, who always surprises me with his acting ability--initially it's so hard to see past his Al Bundy ("Married with Children") character. Louis Gossett, Jr., a college scholarship player himself, appears as a high school coach.
Despite the subtitles at the end ("Blah went on to play in the NBA") this is *not* a true story. The screenplay was first written twelve years ago and was intended to deal with themes of corruption, morality and ambition. The events depicted are extremely realistic and more timely than ever--a bunch of last year's University of Washington Husky football squad got in trouble for just such antics.
Tak Rating system: ------------------ I was surprised by this movie. I thought it would be a showcase movie for the numerous NBA characters. Instead, we get an inspiring story about a man who loves basketball and how that love affects every aspect of his life. It's always a treat to watch people who love what they're doing, and BLUE CHIPS provides us that opportunity. Check it out one evening, I think you'll like it.
avoid at all costs
watch it on cable
wait for videotape
see once as a matinee
see several times (w/friends) as matinee
X see once at full price
see it several times - full and/or matinee
see many times at full price
--
mtakacs@netcom.com
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