The Program | | Cast : | James Caan, Halle Berry | | Director : | David S. Ward | | Studio : | Buena Vista Home Vid | | Format : | Color | | Released Date : | September 24, 1993 | | DVD Released Date : | April 17, 2003 | | Language : | English (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | February 02, 2005 | | Summary | Tries too hard, stumbles under pressure. No apologies. | Content
 | Yeah, a football movie. But one to be admired? Nope. Is there lots of hard hitting action? Yep. But are there better? Uh-huh. This movie just tries too hard. And James Caan has had better performances, for example, "Brian's Song". As for Craig Sheffer, this isn't his best either. You could probably give the hot spot to Omar Epps just for his hard work to try to make mediocrity into something worth watching.
We have football movies with better quality than this. While I can watch this a few times, and laugh at some of the dumb humor, it just doesn't stand up. "The Program" has been since buried by good stuff, such as "Remember The Titans" and most recently "Friday Night Lights". It tried to match the standard of classics like "Brian's Song" and "Rudy". Most of the humor stacks up there with the likes of "Little Giants".
I think this also finds itself looking for originality. This stumbles under pressure, and tries way, way too hard! With quotes such as "PLACE AT THE TABLE!", you may be seated, but don't ask me for seconds after the indigestion. Keep looking for dinner. Oh, and no apologies either from myself! |
| Rating | | | Date | July 27, 2004 | | Summary | Too Many Subplots, but still a Good Effort | Content
| If you're looking for a movie that will give you an overall feel on what behind the curtain NCAA college football is all about, this ain't the one. Unfortunately, there aren't too many out there. While I did find The Program somewhat entertaining, I thought that it tried to appeal to way too many *types* of viewers by convoluting any one clear and relevant plotline with a host of subplots.
At the beginning of this movie, you may be led to believe that the movie is going to be a sort of expose on the business that college athletics has become. We start out by seeing the college's well-planned attempt at trying to recruit a blue chip running-back (Omar Epps). James Cann is great as the 3-dimensional cool-headed coach, who understands that college football is big money (I like contrasting this to the mean sum'va'bitch coach that Jon Voight plays in Varsity Blues). This underscores the idea that education is a secondary concern to many university officials.
There are some great moments in the movie about NCAA corruption. Star linebackers take alumni bribes in the movie. Issues of steroid addiction and grade fixing are touched upon, but never examined to full capacity. Don't get me wrong, normally, I like my sports movies with plenty of sports, but I don't think that the proper set up was there for this to be called a solid 100% sports flick.
While the movie toys with the idea of being a sort of expose, it never quite gets off the ground. I think this is largely due to the fact that the makers of the film tried to rig it to appeal to too many different audiences.
For example, for the non-sports fans, there are 2 romantic subplots. One involving the moping pariah star QB, Joe Cain, and his passion for the girl who doesn't date jocks (touching...yawn). And yet, another involving Epp's and Halle's characters. For the sports diehards, there is the oh so very cliche big game with the classic slow motion play that always works. For the sentimental crowd there is another subplot involving Joe Kain's tobacco-roadish alcoholic father who never goes to see him play. There is, yet another subplot about Kain's rehab from eposodic alcoholism.
Like I said, normally I like my sports movies with plenty sports, but this movie frames itself up to deal with the "behind the scenes" issues and just doesn't come through. Yes, NCAA football is a dirty business. Shoot to kill! Who gives a damn whether Omar Epps and Joe Kane find true romance?
By the way, the guy who played Lattimer deserved an Oscar for best supporting actor! |
| Rating | | | Date | April 29, 2004 | | Summary | Great Movie For Football Fans | Content
| This is an excellent movie for football fans. It is the most realistic football movie I have seen. The Program is a most believable depiction of college football and college life for the players. I played college football and feel that I am hard to impress as far as football movies go. The Program impressed me! |
| Rating | | | Date | January 09, 2004 | | Summary | Two Great Movies | Content
| The Program is, in my opinion as a former football player, the best football movie of all time. I used to watch it to get worked up for a game. No jokes, no exaggerations, just real college football. True, all the drama is a bit much in one school, but ESU (the college in the movie)acts as a microchosm for all of college football. Very exciting guy flick with just the right amount of romance for the girls. Still though, total guy flick.
Con Air is much the same. Total action guy flick about a prison break on a flight of cons, but with some non-forced romance from the sensitive hero just tryin to get home to see his wife and baby. He was of course, wrongly imprisoned and is on the flight because he made parole.
Rarely can you find a better combo of movies. |
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