Slap Shot

Movies 365: Day 36 – Slap Shot

The only thing I knew about Slap Shot going into it was that it starred Paul Newman, and that McFarlane Toys had released some action figures from the movie, so I wasn’t really expecting anything much from it. And that’s probably a good thing, as I was pleasantly surprised by Slap Shot.

Slap Shot follows the story of the Charlestown Chiefs, a hockey team in the fictional Federal League. Coached by Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) who also plays each game, the Chiefs are in trouble as the closing of several mills around town have lead to a situation where they are losing money and are due to fold at the end of the season. Dunlop begins to lie to the team, telling them that there is an interested buyer in Florida, this, combined with increased attendance following the acquisition of the Hanson Brothers (David Hanson, Jeff Carlson and Steve Carlson), a band of particularly violent players, increases attendance at their games. The increased attendance, and the creation of a highly supportive booster club, lead to a streak of victories for the Chiefs, thanks to the combination of violence, and “Old Time Hockey” exemplified by the play of Ned Braden (Michael Ontkean). As the team gets closer to the championship, Dunlop’s lie comes closer to being revealed as violence, and old time hockey reign supreme on the ice.

Though ostensibly the stars of the film, Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean are good, though largely forgettable. It’s not their fault though as The Hanson Brothers steal the film from everyone the moment they arrive on screen. The trio are hilarious as the bespectacled trio of violent man-children, and by the end of the film, they even have their own booster club. The laughs and violence pile on throughout the film, and a lot of help comes from the supporting cast as well, in particular Denis Lemieux, the French-Canadian goalie played by Yvon Barrette. Though not hilarious, Slap Shot is still pretty darn funny, and a must see for anyone who calls themselves a hockey fan.