Slap Shot (1977)

A take on the inspiring sports movie, or more exactly a twisted, and rather entertaining satire on it. Slap Shot stars Paul Newman as Reggie 'Reg' Dunlop aging coach/ player on the Charlestown Chiefs, a losing rust belt minor league hockey team. When the local mill announces that it is closing 'Reg' decides he must do whatever it takes to up the Chiefs win record in the hopes that its mysterious owner will sell them rather then fold it. 'Reg' misleads his players, taunts other teams into misbehaver, and gets his side to engage in a lot of fighting and unethical play, and it turns out the worse they behave the better they do. In the end they do not so much inspire their hard luck town, as they give it an outlet for its rage. Funny, and very profane for its time, so much so I would be curious about watching a TV edit of this to see how it works. "The Hansen Brothers" are a unique contribution to film. Directed quite capably by the great George Roy Hill, who also helmed some of Newman's biggest hits like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting. Interestingly the ruckus male centered screenplay was written by a woman, Nancy Dowd. ***1/2