2. Wildcats

 Wildcats moviePoster.jpg

🚨All of the 'You Changed My Life, Coach!' posts contain major spoilers🚨

Wildcats is a film released in 1986 starring Goldie Hawn. Here's the Wikipedia page. Goldie Hawn plays Molly McGrath, the daughter of an American football coach who wants to coach high school American football. The system is against her because women don't coach American football. Then Molly gets an opportunity to coach at a deprived inner city Chicago school but naturally it's a poisoned chalice. Can she turn it around against all odds and so on? 

SPOILER ALERT she turns it around against all odds because this is an inspirational sports film.

I really enjoyed this film. It was the first time I'd seen it. One of the main things that struck me was just how great Goldie Hawn is, I'd forgotten. So much charisma, carries the whole show, and is a mainstream female movie star headlining films in the 80s. Also Molly turns it around against all odds without turning into a macho hardass which I liked. The antagonists are enjoyably foul. I'm no expert but the American football playing parts look legit.

There are some problematic bits, recognising that the film is over 30 years old which is not to excuse them but I hope the same film wouldn't be made today. There are racial stereotypes. Goldie Hawn is frequently objectified for laughs and the early locker room bits are uncomfortable. There is a scene where Goldie Hawn is naked in the bath (not the Hollywood foam bath shot) and I really don't think it was necessary. It does illustrate how Molly's ex-husband treats her but I reckon I'm giving the filmmakers too much credit. And also the ex-husband's character arc is undeserved he's a shitweasel.

Having said that it's not as though the whole film is off. Molly is an interesting and sympathetic character and it still felt current because let's face it there are hardly any women coaching men's sports.

Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson are in the film, looking too old to be high school students just like the rest of the team. There's a shot that shows Woody Harrelson's already thinning hair. Wesley Snipes has this great chaos energy going on. I must watch 'White Men Can't Jump' again.

In inspirational sports films it's important that the rag tag bunch of misfits has a variety of misfits to root for in it and this film delivered on that front.

From a genre point of view almost all the elements are there, it's just lacking being based on a true story.

Did the coach change lives?

The coach definitely changed several lives, including her own. 

Was there triumph against the odds?

There was much triumphing against the odds, and also the patriarchy.

Did people grow together through sport?

People definitely grew together through sport. And the sexist coach of the rival team got his comeuppance which was satisfying.

Did you cry?

I did a cry when Molly was given a new stopwatch by the team.

Score

8 out of 10

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