Wildcats (1986)

I love Goldie Hawn and have liked many of the movies she's been in...This one though; Brutal! Not on her part, mind you...Just the whole premise...Funny to see a young Wesley Snipes and Woody playing high school kids...But not funny haha...The 80's was one of the worst decades since the early 20th century WW1 and Spanish flu etc...I found myself wincing with the blatant PC garbage...You can see the start of it all back then...Cliché upon cliché, dialog written by one of those annoying kids from pick an 80's movie...I was hoping this stood the test of time, I didn't see it in the 80's when it came out. It sounded stupid then, when I was in my mid 20's and I feel vindicated in my early judgment...If you loved the 80's, you'll love this movie. I despised the 80's so, perhaps I'm just taking it out on this movie...Nah; it was horrible!

This is a great, to-the-point sports comedy starring Goldie Hawn as Molly McGrath who takes on her dream job of coaching high school football, despite doubts from her ex-husband and colleagues, and despite the football team being one of the rowdiest, rudest and most difficult bunch of athletes in the city.It's an entertaining comedy from start to finish, with Molly exhibiting her never-say-quit attitude to win over the resentments and resistance of the high school team, which consists of a young Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. Her mission in getting her team in shape to end their winning games drought is captivating, as is the supporting subplot of her home-life when she tries to retain custody of her two daughters from her uptight ex-husband Frank (James Keech).The plot is a bit predictable but Goldie Hawn provides enough drama, wit and humor to keep the movie engaging, as does the football players. I enjoy the scenes where Molly tries to gain their respect and where she outruns the boys in a track race, giving them a taste of their own medicine. The relationship between Molly and her daughters were pretty uplifting and she shows that balancing life between family and a career is entirely capable. A great, feel-good sports comedy.Grade A

Goldie Hawn is her usual fizzy, feisty self playing a football-crazy coach trying to whip a high school team into shape. The young men are made up of delinquents and goof-offs, but can Goldie work her magic on them before the big game? "The Bad News Bears"'s Michael Ritchie directed, and it's the kind of comedy knock-off you'd expect from any Hollywood hack but Ritchie (hopefully he was well paid). Supporting cast is unusually good, with Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes in early roles, Swoosie Kurtz doing her likable sisterly bit, Nipsey Russell nicely low-keyed as a school official, Jan Hooks wonderful as the new woman in Hawn's ex-husband's life, and handsome Bruce McGill as the enemy coach (although he gets the worst scenes, particularly at end when he's forced to shout "Search his jock!" and then roll around in the mud). Hawn herself has an embarrassing moment nude in the bathtub, and the sub-plot with her boring ex is just time wasted on the clock, but her forthright comic performance just about saves "Wildcats" from the cookie-cutter bargain-bin. ** from ****

WILDCATS was a funny and entertaining comedy with Goldie Hawn at the top of her form as a high school track coach, who wants more than anything to coach football (her late father was a football coach). She finally gets the opportunity to coach a high school football team at a tough inner city high school where the majority of the students are Africa American or Latino. Of course, Goldie's Molly McGrath meets the obvious resentments from high school boys that you would expect finding out their new coach is a woman, but she does eventually win them over, even at the risk of losing custody of her two daughters to her uptight ex-husband (James Keach). Nothing new or inventive here but Goldie lights up the screen presenting a smart yet flawed character trying to live her dream. Nipsey Russell has one of the best roles of his career as the principal of the school that hires her and there are some very funny moments provided by the members of the team, especially Woody Harrelson, Nick Corri, and in a star-making turn, a very young Wesley Snipes. Bruce McGill scores as a sexist coach from the opposing school, Prescott and Jan Hooks has some cute moments as GOldie's ex-husband's new girlfriend. I love the scene where Goldie outruns the boys on the team and calls them "pussies" and the rap song over the closing credits is hysterically funny. A terrific feel-good comedy starring a great actress at the zenith of her personal charm.