Eddie (1996)

This film shows Whoopi Goldberg at her big mouth wise cracking best. The film is about a rich chairman who buys the New York Nicks and try's to turn a losing team into a freak show to make money. So he hires a big mouth fan as the head coach who he believes can't coach. The first half of the film is funniest as Whoopi Goldberg tells the Nicks coaches what she really thinks of them. Some of the misfit players are quite good to. There is a Russian who can't speak any English, a great player except he won't pass the ball and a player who is more interested in his failing marriage. And let's not forget the showman owner, who rides a real horse on the court, wants to "give the folks a good show", and sees a better money-making opportunity once Eddie turns the team around.Sure it was kind of predictable, and as many have observed, it pretty much derails by the midway point. But Whoopi Goldberg as the Knicks fan-turned-coach gives a spirited, touching performance. Her initial awkward moments with team members ring true enough. The ways that attempts to reach out to team members range from the plausible (providing ad hoc marriage counseling to one) to the highly unlikely (learning enough Russian to begin to bridge the cultural and linguistic gap of a Russian born player). The contrived, feel-good ending brings the film down several notches on the originality scale. But Whoopi Goldberg gives it all she's got as does the rest of the cast. They wind up giving the movie pretty much all the appeal that it's got.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

Movie concept: Promising. Actors: Goldberg perfect for the role. Script: 6 writers couldn't put something together with a tighter script than this?????This film has a pretty low rating on IMDb, and I'm not surprised. Although the concept was pretty good, the execution was sloppy...just about as sloppy as the team was during the first half of the film. I had the idea throughout the film that most people involved were just going through the motions.That's not to say there aren't some good moments here. There are some good laughs. Occasionally Whoppi shines like I expected her to shine. It's all pretty good natured, and some of the cameos by politicians and others are fun. Whoopi does fairly well in the lead. Although it's hardly his finest hour, Frank Langella is decent as the new Texan club owner. And Dennis Farina is fine as the old and opposing coach. But there was no danger here of anyone winning an Oscar or Golden Globe.It's a couple of hours of fun, but I'd never be tempted to watch it a second time.

Non-stop hilarity. Genius Film-making. Unworldly writing. Heavenly Acting. This movie has it all.This movie gets an A+++ from me. Some people might say "You're Crazy Man This Movie is worse than an alligators ball sack". TO those people I say look no farther than Greg Ostertags genius acting. Why he hasn't been in more movies is beyond me.By the way. All that I said above is untrue. This movie is horrible. Whoopi Goldberg is horrible. Greg Ostertag is horrible (on the basketball court and the big screen). I currently rate this movie below the Power Rangers movie. Thats right. I rate this movie BELOW The Power Rangers Movie. Save yourself that free rental at Blockbuster and don't get this film.

After winning free-throw contest at a New York Knicks basketball game, b-ball fanatic Whoopi Goldberg is pegged to be the last place team's new coach! She whips the boys into shape...but is she just being used as a publicity clown? Cookie-cutter movie (with a script cobbled together from work by seven different writers!) is saddled with a limp third act, very little substance overall, and one-dimensional supporting characters. However, director Steve Rash wisely allows Whoopi to be Whoopi, and her contagious good spirit rises above the mire and is enjoyable. The takeover sub-plot really sinks this comedy-fantasy in the end, but Goldberg is a trouper and offers several hearty laughs. ** from ****