Side Out

How can anyone say this is not a great movie? Sure, you know what's going to happen, and it's lame, and silly, but so what? There are plenty of songs you hear that you know how they're going to sound less than 20 seconds into it. Pro wrestling is fake, but it's not about that. This movie is fun. People who look into it, and try to analyze the movie are missing the point. It's not Citizen Kane, or Schindler's List. The point is, there's a time and a place for those movies. This movie isn't supposed to be that. It's thoughtless fun, an escape just like anything else. Had a bad day, wanna relax without putting ANY thought into anything, just watch this movie. It brings a smile to my face every time i watch it. Where else will you get a movie with a guy named Wiley, or get to hear Terry kaiser say "I'll even throw in a company car." Classic, simply classic cheese ball movie.

Seriously, if you want to learn the meaning of life, one man holds the answers - C. Thomas Howell.

His embodiment of Monroe Clark is Christ-like without ever being obvious - we see his divinity in the way he sympathizes with Zach Barnes' financial plight, giving him communion through his generous offer to play volleyball with him. No other living actor could have captured the holiness and generosity of this basketball player turned lawyer turned volleyball pro from Milwaukee with such nuance and yet, such gusto. Holding hands high with Barnes at the end he evoked that incredible sense of pride, pity, and ultimately, hilarity that one gets when one sees a retard so proud of his Special Olympics participation ribbon.

This movie is an absolute delight. Deserving of its place in the canon of all-time great works of art.

This is one of the truly great volleyball movies of all time. Not that I can think of any other volleyball movies that were released. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed it when I first saw it. Remember, this came out in 1990, so of course it may not be up to par with todays standards of movies, but the same could be said about the original Star Wars trilogy. This movie is what got me into volleyball back in the day (my high school years). I'd recommend it to anyone. In fact, it comes out on DVD in early July. It's at least worth the rent! I'd give it 9 out of 10 stars.

I recently rewatched Side Out (1990) on Tubi. The story follows a law student who moves to California for a summer job, only to get swept up in the world of beach volleyball. His growing obsession with the sport and his knack for hustling start to consume him. His passion catches the attention of a former volleyball legend, and together, they aim to leave their mark on the California volleyball scene.

Directed by Peter Israelson in his only major film project, Side Out stars C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders), Peter Horton (Children of the Corn), Courtney Thorne-Smith (Ally McBeal), Kathy Ireland (Necessary Roughness), and Harley Jane Kozak (Parenthood).

I must have seen this movie on HBO a hundred times as a kid, and it brings back the nostalgic charm of '80s sports films with its familiar characters, life lessons, and predictable but satisfying ending.

The cast is fun and well-suited to their roles. The dialogue is exactly what you'd expect, with a few clever lines and a generally authentic vibe. The conclusion is straightforward and predictable, but it adds to the charm of this lighthearted, feel-good film.

In conclusion, Side Out isn't groundbreaking, but it's a fun watch if you're looking for a bit of nostalgia. I'd rate it a 5-5.5/10 and recommend it only if you go in with the right expectations.

"Monroe Clark" (C. Thomas Howell) is flying out to Los Angeles to work during the summer for his wealthy "Uncle Max" (Terry Kiser) who happens to be a real estate lawyer. Monroe's first job is to serve eviction notices to those who cannot pay their rent. In the process of serving a notice on a famous beach volleyball player named "Zack Barnes" (Peter Horton), he also meets an attractive cocktail waitress by the name of "Samantha" (Courtney Thorne-Smith). One thing leads to another and before he knows it another person named "Wiley Hunter" (Christopher Rydell) convinces him to team up with him in a beach volleyball competition. And then things begin to get interesting. Anyway, for a beach movie this wasn't too bad. Although the plot was somewhat routine and the acting was barely adequate, the thing that kept this movie entertaining was the fast-paced sports action and some nice looking ladies including Harley Jane Kozak (as "Kate Jacobs"), Kathy Ireland ("Marie") and the aforementioned Courtney Thorne-Smith. Again, it's a beach movie and so one shouldn't expect too much from it. I rate it as average.