Slap Shot

Genre: sports comedy

With: Paul Newman (Reggie Dunlop), Michael Ontkean (Ned Braden), Strother Martin (McGrath), Jennifer Warren (Francine), Lindsay Crouse (Lily), Jerry Houser (Killer Carlson), Andrew Duncan (Jim Carr), Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson and David Hanson (as Jeff, Steve and Jack Hanson respectively)

Director: George Roy Hill

Screenplay: Nancy Dowd

Release: 1977

Studio: Kings Road Entertainment, Pan Arts Productions, Universal Pictures

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.0/10

 

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Story-line: as player-coach of the minor-league Charlestown Chiefs, Reggie Dunlop struggles to mould a bunch of prospects, veterans and confirmed losers into a semblance of a hockey team.

Pluses: an unforgettable turn by Paul Newman in a semi-comic role, solid support from Michael Ontkean and a mixed bag of crazies, a frank, truthful and hilarious screenplay by Nancy Dowd, astute direction by George Roy Hill (one roughhouse sequence featuring the Hanson brothers is pure donnybrook) and modest production values in keeping with the subject.

Minuses: there's lots of profanity (mostly in French), indecency, mock violence and general vulgarity but it all comes out as good clean dirty fun.  

Comments: at a time when brawling and disgraceful play were rampant in pro hockey (although it’s still the case today in a number of ways), SLAP SHOT chose to lampoon the senselessness of it all and remains, 44 years after the fact, one of the funniest sports movies ever because of its endearing unpretentiousness. For the sake of your living room, don’t drink beer or eat popcorn while watching this one. 

  

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