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"HOOSIERS" (1986) (Gene Hackman, Barbra Hershey) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Minor Heavy Minor Mild Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None Minor None Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Minor Mild Moderate Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Drama: A coach with a troubled past must overcome that and the resistance of the local residents to his coaching tactics when he takes a position heading the boys high school basketball team in a 1950s era, Indiana small town. PLOT: It's 1951 Indiana and former college basketball coach Norman Dale (GENE HACKMAN) has arrived in the small town of Hickory where he's taken the position of coaching the boy's high school basketball team for Cletus (SHEB WOOLEY), his old friend and the current principal. Most everyone else, including assistant principal Myra Fleener (BARBARA HERSHEY) aren't as welcoming, mainly because they're wary of strangers or change. Myra is most concerned that Norman will try to convince star player Jimmy Chitwood (MARIS VALAINIS) to return to the team that he gave up after the last coach died. With a very small student body, Norman has his work cut out for him as he barely has enough players for a full squad. There's Everett Flatch (DAVID NEIDORF) who's embarrassed that his father, Shooter (DENNIS HOPPER), is the town drunk. Strap Purl (SCOTT SUMMERS) is the religious kid on the team, Ollie McClellan (WADE SCHENCK) is the smallest and least talented, while the rest consists only of Rade Butcher (STEVE HOLLAR), Merle Webb (KENT POOLE) and Buddy Walker (BRAD LONG). Norman's unconventional coaching tactics don't sit well with his players or the fanatical local residents who don't take kindly to losing or him hiring Shooter as his assistant when health reasons force Cletus to quit. Yet, the coach perseveres, trying to instill maturity and a team mentality into his boys. As they eventually come around and start winning, and with the team heading for the playoffs in an unlikely Cinderella run, Norman tries to keep them on the winning track, all while dealing with his budding relationship with Myra and her discovery of his controversial past. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're into basketball or are fans of someone in the cast, they just might (although the film may seem dated to them). WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG No official reason is present, but we'd guess it was for language, brief violence and thematic elements. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: GENE HACKMAN plays a former college basketball coach with a troubled and controversial past who agrees to coach a small high school team and ends up taking them to the championship game. Along the way, he helps Shooter get back on his feet, must deal with the locals questioning his every move, uses some profanity, shows some temper and does what he can to help his boys grow as people and ballplayers. BARBARA HERSHEY plays the assistant principal who's one of those wary locals and doesn't want him providing the boys with basketball as the lone highlight of their lives. DENNIS HOPPER plays the father of one of the boys, an alcoholic who gets a second chance through the kindness of Norman making him his assistant coach. MARIS VALAINIS plays the most talented member of the team who doesn't join it until part of the way through the season. DAVID NEIDORF plays Shooter's son who's embarrassed that his father is an alcoholic, but later comes around to saying that he loves him. SCOTT SUMMERS plays the religious kid on the squad. WADE SCHENCK plays the short and under-talented kid on the team who finally gets to prove his worth during a big game. STEVE HOLLAR, BRAD LONG and KENT POOLE play other kids on the team. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's rated PG. Profanity consists of at least 1 "s" word, while a handful of other expletives and a number of colorful phrases are also uttered. Some brief fighting/scuffling occurs during basketball games (one resulting in a slightly bloody cut on a player's shoulder), while other bad attitudes are present from various characters. One is noted as an alcoholic and is seen inebriated several times (and later suffering from the DTs while hospitalized), and some minor/miscellaneous characters smoke. An adult couple briefly kisses, a high school student is embarrassed by his alcoholic father and later finds him unconscious in the woods, while there's talk of a past incident where a coach assaulted one of his own players (and was then suspended for life). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Shooter shows up drunk and asks Cletus for money. Shooter appears to be intoxicated. Shooter asks Norman if he wants a little snort (sip from his flask). Norman declines the offer, but Shooter takes a swig from it. Norman hires Shooter, but his rule is that he must be sober. We see Norman dunking Shooter's head into some water to try to sober him up. Shooter shows up drunk for one of the games and walks out onto the court that way. We see Shooter in the hospital, suffering from the DTs (delirium tremens). BLOOD/GORE We see a little blood on a player's shoulder after it's cut during a fight (being pushed back into a glass display case). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Myra is a little disrespectful toward Norman upon first meeting him, eyeing him with suspicion and stating that she thought he'd be younger. Jimmy doesn't say hello to Norman upon first meeting him. The temporary basketball coach has a bad attitude toward Norman. Two players talk and don't pay attention to Norman when he addresses the team. They then walk out on the practice, but one later returns and apologizes. The players don't follow Norman's orders/instructions during their first game. After Norman confronts an opposing player who then pokes his finger on Norman's body, one of the Norman's players punches that other kid to the floor. A general scuffle then breaks out. Opposing fans throw stuff at Norman and one of his players after they're kicked out of a game. Shooter's son says that his father is a drunk, will do something stupid as the assistant coach and doesn't deserve a second chance. Later, however, he has a change of heart and tells his dad that he loves him. Some of the local basketball fanatics question every coaching move Norman makes, and then try to vote him out of the coaching position. Norman occasionally lets his temper get the best of him during games and is kicked out of several. We hear that Norman physically assaulted one of his players in the past and was thus suspended from college ball. He later talks to Myra about this and says he still doesn't know what happened and that the kid he hit was his best player. Referring to Ollie's short stature, an opposing player tries to psyche him out (at the free throw line) by stating that he didn't know they grew them so small on the farm. FRIGHTENING SCENES Some of the brief fight scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material, but probably few others. We see a farm woman holding a dead rabbit upside down by its feet (presumably for dinner). Norman and Everett find Shooter unconscious on the snowy ground in the woods. GUNS/WEAPONS Shooter carries a shotgun (that's partially seen). Shooter fires a warning shot into the air with his shotgun when Norman approaches (but lets him in once he realizes who he is). IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You got pigeon sh*t in your eyes," "Hell of a time," "Hick town," "Tired old bones," "Screwing up," "Let's fly this chick coop," "Shut up," "Sun don't shine on the same dog's ass every day," "Hell of a team," "Bust off," "Jackass," "You're pathetic," "Don't get caught watching the paint dry," "Bozo," "Are you out of your mind?" and "Kick their butt." Opposing fans throw stuff at Norman and one of his players after they're kicked out of a game. We see Norman dunking Shooter's head into some water to try to sober him up. Referring to Ollie's short stature, an opposing player tries to psyche him out (at the free throw line) by stating that he didn't know they grew them so small on the farm. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A little bit of game-related, suspenseful music plays in the last game. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "s" word, 3 hells, 2 damns, 2 uses of "Oh God," and 1 use each of "G-damn," "Christ's sakes" (or "Chrissakes") and "Jesus." SEX/NUDITY Norman and Myra briefly kiss, and then do so again, briefly, this time a little more passionately (and while clothed and standing). SMOKING Some miscellaneous characters smoke cigarettes or pipes in a few scenes. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Myra states that Jimmy's mother is sick and his father is dead, meaning she's the one who watches out for him. Myra states that she returned to her hometown after her father died to care for her mother. Shooter is upset when Norman tells him that he (Shooter) is embarrassing his (Shooter's) son due to his behavior and alcoholism. Shooter's son says that his father is a drunk, will do something stupid as the assistant coach and doesn't deserve a second chance. Later, however, he has a change of heart and tells his dad that he loves him. Norman and Everett find Shooter unconscious on the snowy ground in the woods. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Coaches and coaching. Alcoholism and alcoholics. We see a farm woman holding a dead rabbit upside down by its feet (presumably for dinner). We hear that Jimmy hasn't been the same since the last basketball coach, who was like a dad to him, died. The comment that no one is irreplaceable. Myra's comment that she doesn't want high school basketball glory to be the highlights of the players' lives. Myra's comment that men like Norman are either running away from something or have nowhere else to go (to end up in a small town like Hickory). Norman's unconventional method of coaching and disciplining his players. Opposing fans throw stuff at Norman and one of his players after they're kicked out of a game. We learn that Cletus has a bad heart. We hear that Norman physically assaulted one of his players in the past and was thus suspended from college ball. He later talks to Myra about this and says he still doesn't know what happened and that the kid he hit was his best player. Jimmy stands up for the coach and saves his job despite having never played for him. The fact that Norman gives Shooter a second chance at life. We see Shooter in the hospital, suffering from the DTs (delirium tremens). The comment that if you're the best you can be, you'll be a winner. The standard tale of the underdog team trying to win despite the odds and obstacles. Norman's comment that five players on the floor function as one unit, with none better or more important than the others. VIOLENCE A player is knocked to the floor during a game. After Norman confronts an opposing player who then pokes his finger on Norman's body, one of the Norman's players punches that other kid to the floor. A general scuffle then breaks out. Opposing fans throw stuff at Norman and one of his players after they're kicked out of a game. One player pushes another to the floor in a game. There are several more pushes and then a general melee breaks out on the court featuring players and fans. During this, Everett is pushed back into a display case, with the glass breaking and cutting his shoulder (we hear it required 7 stitches). A player punches Everett on his previous arm wound and we hear that the stitches are pulling out, but don't see anything related to that. Reviewed May 25, 2005 / Posted May 30, 2005