Alley Cats Strike

Teenagers, aces at bowling, but discredited at school, compete for the regional "Big Apple" trophy. The final will be decided by a high school champion in almost every sport, but who knows nothing about bowling. He will have to resolve differences and enlist the help of the "bowling gang" to win the game. Misfit teens are thrust into the spotlight when their bowling prowess lands them in the middle of an interscholastic competition. A group of hip retro teenage outsiders become involved in an interschool bowling rivalry.

Interesting, initially I thought I would be more attached because it was one of those children's and teen movies, more of the same, in the "Afternoon Session" Disney style, however it fell into commonplace, with some very cute messages, but without much attachment, almost boring ...

This movie was really good. I especially liked the fact that there was so much team effort and spirit in the movie. That gives people a good idea as to how one should play on a team with people they don't know very well. It was pretty funny too!

Coming two years after the Big Lebowski, four years after Kingpin, this is a kids attempt at cashing in the attraction of bowling. East and West Appleton have a long standing sporting rivalry that's gone on for decades. Each year they have gone up against each other in just about every sport that each has a team for, but for some reason the two schools are going to become one, meaning that this year is the last "Big Apple". The two mayors keep upping the ante over who wins, not helped by West Appletons mayor also being the father of their star player, who's helped them win at pretty much every main stream sport, until East Appleton proposes bowling and he has to team up with the losers - "Only losers bowl," - to win the big prize. Add to that, a connection between the Mayor and the bowling alley owner and a gradual change in the lead bowlers (who's also the bowling alley owners son) attitude, it's a standard Disney feel good film that fills all the tick boxes. The music is of an era, the 50's vibe adds to the relaxed vibe the losers have, while there are no chase scenes, so the camera work is pretty standard point and shoot. It took me ten minutes to realise that was Kaley Cuoco - it is two years before 8 Simple Rules - and it was funny that Mimi Paleys first acting credit was playing a young Buffy the Vampire Slayer, considering the roles Cuoco would go onto. The main characters - Kyle Schmid (Alex Thompson) and Robert Ri'chard (Todd McLemore) and basically 90's kids, even if Kyle has such an affinity with the 50's, but the dialogue is stilted at times as they try to make the premise of a bowling match being so important to a town, though as other reviews have said; the bowling technique could have done with some work, and did they actually finish the last match? A fun, very child friendly film, with a good message and obvious story line.

Good cast and heartwarming ideas about outcast teenage bowlers being called upon to win for the sake of their school and to prove they "belong".

Spotty on plot. You mean to tell me that during the (presumably) weeks leading up to the basketball game that would tie the battle for the Mighty Apple, no one checked to see what would happen in case of a tie? Not even Sweet Lou, who lived and breathed Appleton sports? By the way, why all the stress on junior high school sports? They don't have a high school to care about?

I can't imagine that my town, when growing up, would have cared much about a competition against the next town on the jr. high level. Still, it's for kids.

While in the early 2000s and late 90s there were many great bowling movies such as The Big Lebowski and kingpin Alley cat strike takes the Cake it's probably one of the best movies ever made about bowling I give it 10 out of 10 bowling pins down a strike.