Eddie

This is a comedy-fantasy, people -- not a documentary. The pacing is bouncy and rollicking. The performances are precisely what they should be -- neither "villain" is one-dimensional or over-the-top, but just menacing enough in the right amounts, and the ways in which Eddie triumphs over each of them are quite clever.

Mayor Koch's cameo is hysterical, as is the bit with Stacey's Mom. Ostertag shows good comic timing. The background of Eddie is just touching enough without being maudlin. The transition of the Knicks from selfish losers to re-motivated winners is handled just right for a comedy-fantasy. This is at least in a class with Angels In The Outfield as an enjoyable comedy-fantasy.

When the New York Knicks are in the middle of a really poor run when they are purchased by a new owner, Wild Bill Burgess. In an attempt to get the fans into the Garden, he arranges a `honorary coach' contest which fan Eddie Franklin wins. She takes to the bench pushing Coach Bailey's patience to breaking point. When Wild Bill sees the fans react to Eddie he lets Bailey walk and gives her the job. When she turns the losing streak around the team starts to change but what is Wild Bill's financial plan for the Knicks?

As a Knicks fan I am used to seeing them play rubbish and `snatch defeat from the jaws of victory' so I didn't think it would hurt to watch this film – at least in this fictional film they stand a chance of a playoff berth! The plot is quite silly in essence, and very unlikely but it is used well to create jokes and good basketball action. The jokes are a mix of Goldberg's usual stuff as well as New York & NBA in-jokes. The Goldberg stuff is OK if you like her, I always liked her smart mouth so I enjoyed it.

The in-jokes and cameos also help the film. Be it Letterman, the Mayor or a host of NBA stars, the film is carried by these until it realises that it needs to get an actual plot to finish on! At one point I feared a romantic interest but was happy to see that dropped and a plot about Wild Bill's plans brought into play instead. This isn't great but it does OK and provides a good enough framework for Goldberg's wise mouth and lots of NBA cameos! The cast is deep in players, some knicks, most not, some knicks-to-be! Johnson, Jackson, Rodman, Patton, Mouges, Rick Fox and so on, they all play a good part in the film and the `oh look it's' effect helps keep the interest.

Of course many jokes do fall flat and the overall narrative is pretty weak, but the film is a fun diversion. As a knicks fan I did enjoy it on that level but I also felt it wasn't a bad way to spend 90 minutes. It has a watchable energy and is worth seeing if you like basketball and are in an undemanding mood.

Even in small comedies, I believe the screenwriter has to be a little respectful to his audience. I think the average person on the street will extend disbelief in a movie if you present it in an acceptable manner. No one complained that in 'While You Were Sleeping' that the entire plot in completely dependant on everyone experiencing the same misunderstandings. Or did they?

So, in that same way, Whoopi should get to do a stupid movie that no one will believe a word of. She has an Oscar and some box office clout, why not take them out for a spin?

She plays Edwina, a loudmouth Knicks fan who is cursed with lousy seats, a really bad team and a boss who does not understand her obsession. Since the team has a new owner (Langella) who conveniently does not get along with the coach (Dennis Farina), changes are in store. The owner is more suited to the WWF, as he speaks to the crowd before the game from the court, on a HORSE, and during his pyro show he accidentally destroys the retired jersey of Walt Frazier...I told you it was illogical.

So he's tacky and has no regard for team tradition. Its not a long stretch for him to arrange things to get Edwina (known as Eddie) to coach the team for half a game in the name of promotion. When the current coach protests, he gets fired.

So Eddie gets to be the coach full time, and takes a loser team and makes them a winner..I told you it was predictable. What's worse is that Eddie was extremely knowledgable in the problems of the team before she took over, but once the coaching job is given to her she is mysteriously clueless.

But in addition to believing that a fan would take on the head coach job, you are also asked to believe that the owner will move the team to St. Louis, IF THEY WIN..this put Eddie in an awkward situation, no?

Unless you never saw another movie in your life, you can predict the outcome.

But as a sports fan, who's suffered at times like all sports fans suffer in the name of love for your team, I can't help but enjoy it on at least a couple of levels. 5/10.

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 ****

I think that you should watch movies like EDDIE only when you don't want to work you brains on. I'm not saying that it's not a funny movie but if you look deep inside you find that it does not contain the real life of the N.B.A. 5/10 is what this movie deserves