Rating of
3/4
A fun football movie that doesn't fumble
The M.O.W. - wrote on 08/01/08
"Kevin O'Shea" (Ed O'Neil) is an all-star football star, and the local hero. "Danny O'Shea" (Rick Moranis) is his smaller, non-athletic brother who had to live in his brother's shadow all his life.
At the beginning of the Pee-Wee Football season, "Kevin" picks his team, not including his niece "Becky "The Ice-Box" O'Shea" (Shawna Waldron), who is easily one of the best hopefuls for the team.
"Becky" gets the idea to make her own team, with her father, who knows next to nothing about the sport, as the coach. He agrees to become the team's captain, only after finding out that he's the team's captain.
Now, "Danny" must make a bunch of delenquints into a winning team, or lose a side bet with his brother.
O'Neil and Moranis are excellent in their roles as the brothers in a sibling rivalry that has gone on since they were kids.
The kids in the movie are quite enjoyable as well. They even make even the dumbest of jokes laughable.
Some of the most enjoyable scenes are when the newly dubbed "Little Giants" are practicing behind "Danny's" gas station. There are also some funny scenes on the gridiron in the game between "Danny's" "Little Giants" and "Kevin's" "Cowboys".
The only problem that I could see is that there is no subplot between "Danny" and "Patty Floyd" (Susanna Thompson), the mother of "Little Giants" star player "Junior Floyd". There isn't any reason to explore the romance anyways, since the focus of the movie is on the team learning how to become a team.
This is a surprisingly wonderful film that would be a great addition to the family video/DVD collection -- especially if your child is a young football fan. Ir would also be an excellent rental.
