Have you ever gone on a long road trip and passed some of the time playing some sort of "name game"? How about the "cliche game", which resembles the interaction between Lt. Kaffee and Luther the Kiosk Guy in A Few Good Men?
Well, if you recognize that experience, then you probably have some insight into the writing process for Glory Road. Every sports movie cliche ever, and I mean EVER is shoehorned in. Not content with that, we also get our fill of classic Bruckheimer camera flyby's, and a smattering of hoary hollywood set-pieces. In fact, these cliches come so thick and fast that if one were to play a drinking game set to the tired old chestnuts, even a fratboy would be hard pressed to make it past 30 minutes.
There's the "Big Game", the "My Way or the High Way" speech, the "Kick the kid off the team before he comes back and becomes an important contributor." And of course "Big mama makes sure her boy does his homework". There's even John Voigt, semi-reprising his role as vaguely hitlerian coach from Varsity Blues, this time as legendary (and legendarily racist) Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp.
That being said, I didn't hate the movie. There's not enough of substance to hate, plus the basketball scenes were well done. And perhaps the best part was the interviews with the actual Texas Western players and coaches (as well as Kentucky's Pat Riley) which played over the end credits, along with some archival footage. Which demonstrates that Riley indeed got dunked on to open the game.
Pooh's View: Netflix worthy, but you're crazy if you pay full price. ($9.25 at the theatre I went to...)
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