Recensioni degli utenti

This underrated 90s movie may be a normal sports film, but it's entertaining and it has heart. Unique in that it's one of the few (if there are even any others) films about beach volleyball, that alone makes it worth watching. It's like if Top Gun (1986) and The Karate Kid - Per vincere domani (1984) had a baby, and volleyball threw up on it.

The performances are all good enough for this kind of movie. C . Thomas Howell is ok, though he's a little annoying, but Peter Horton is good. Another cool aspect of the movie is that a lot of the other volleyball players featured in the movie are actually real beach volleyball players.

Another weird thing is that the movie is painfully 80s. Even though it's made in the 90s, a lot of the clothing and score have serious 80s vibes, and this is probably the most 80s movie of the 90s. The soundtrack is cool, with songs like "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul, and even some songs by the B-52s.

Overall, it's another sports movie, but it's entertaining, and it's about volleyball. You could do a lot worse.

I remembered liking this back in '90 when I was 11 or 12 years old. However when I decided to watch Side Out's showing on Showtime yesterday, I did so believing that it would be awful just like the vast majority of shows from that time period that I once enjoyed. This movie surprised me though... it was funny (in a good way) and pretty well shot and well acted. You actually WANT success for Horton and Howell's characters. The women in this movie are gorgeous as well. Courtney Thorne-Smith looked hotter than ever in this (before the god awful Melrose Place)and Kathy Ireland was a pleasant surprise as part of Max's legal team. If it weren't for the horrendous soundtrack (B-52's "Roam" during a friggin' bar brawl?) I'd have given it a 7.5. Only a small gripe so I give it a 7 instead.

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.

C. Thomas Howell and Courtney Thorne-Smith are the only two in the cast that really display any acting talent, but the parts are so poorly written that even they have trouble. The real focus of anybody watching this movie shouldn't be the plot (it's terrible) or the acting (equally bad), and god forbid that you try to follow the poorly-thought-out dialogue...the real focus of the movie is beach volleyball. The addition of such high-caliber players as Smith, Stoklos, Dodd, and Steffes saves this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed watching such incredible players, even though the games were scripted.

Anyone think Kiraly will show up in Side Out 2?

Mostly fair or bad actors, very average script, some nauseating cliche scenes, relies mostly on big 80s hair and C Thomas Howell's 11/10 looks. But hey, someone had to put a cap on al the lousy 80's movies...even if this one waited until the 90's.

The story is actually reasonable, and CT is a solid actor, but so many improbables. Would you get into a hearse with a total stranger?

If you like volleyball, this is your only movie, so you should see it. If you like CT Howell, he's kind of at peak hotness, still a beautiful guy but old enough to finally have some masculinity.

Half the reason I gave this as high of a score is as I did, is because this is early 90's, even late 80's greatness.

There's enough neon wardrobe in this movie to outfit a sold out stadium concert for New Kids On The Block in their prime, and we're talking the entire venue.

That is, as far as this film is concerned, the parts that aren't completely tanned-up and are wearing clothing.

This movie is not great.

But it does have Kathy Ireland.

And Courtney Thorne-Smith.

Which is the other reason I rated this so highly.

I had a dorm poster of Kathy Ireland about this time.

Her scene in Loaded Weapon 1 is an all time comedy classic.

And Thorne-Smith? I've been a devoted fan since Summer School (1987).

Otherwise, to me this totally seems like a movie you would've rented on videocassette one summer from the small town drugstore the weekend you stayed out at your grandma's.

There just wasn't much else to choose from.

There are good songs in here of the moment from the B-52's and Paula Abdul.

Everybody looks fit and amazing.

Southern California beaches look so clean.

Everybody's into sand beach volleyball.

And knocking back Miller Genuine Draft in cans.

Honestly, I haven't cared this much about volleyball, or a volleyball anyway, since Cast Away.

Wiiiiiiiilllllson!!

But in this movie, they use Spaldings.

It's formulaic otherwise.

The old, once great, now washed out gets the chance for a comeback through some young buck.

Oh, you know how it goes.

And it does a lot of it in slow motion.

Next to the ocean.

This popped up on the retro Antenna TV network tonight , and brought back memories of watching it back in the early 90s with my girlfriend, who was SERIOUSLY into volleyball, and very stoked about a movie on the subject. Side Out was a huge disappointment for her.... I remember her ranting about how implausible it would be for a beginner to compete at the highest level , and how the scenes with actual volleyball play were unrealistic.

I watched it through tonight, and man , what a cheesy movie. Interesting only for a tongue and cheek early 90s flashback , and even that was pretty weak !

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.

"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, so one shouldn't expect too much from it. I rate it as average.

A film about beach volleyball players in California. Do I need to continue? A near total waste as second-rate actors C. Thomas Howell and Peter Horton compete in volleyball tournaments all summer. Howell is a law student who came to California for a summer job but ends up going after good-looking women and spiking volleyballs over the net instead. A really sophomoric film that feels like it was submitted by a group of dumb teenagers that had nothing else better to do. Some very attractive women in swimsuits are the only real attractions here. That is not near enough to make "Side Out" anything more than a long advertisement for its sport. 2 stars out of 5.

Law student Monroe Clark (C. Thomas Howell) from Milwaukee moves to L.A. to work for his rich real estate lawyer Uncle Max. He's given a job to serve eviction notices. One of the tenants is beach volleyball player Zack Barnes (Peter Horton). He was the original local king of volleyball but he has been spiraling downwards. His business partner Kate Jacobs (Harley Jane Kozak) is tired of him but there's more to their relationship. The new king is Rollo Vincent. Monroe befriends local Wiley Hunter and falls for Samantha (Courtney Thorne-Smith). Monroe and Wiley play in a tournament and Zack comes in to coach them.

C. Thomas Howell is not a believable volleyball stud. On top of that, his character is not appealing at all. I think he's trying to be Tom Cruise but he's no Tom Cruise. His kissing scene with CTS made me involuntarily laugh. Peter Horton does have that washed-up beach bum vibe. This is all terribly cheesy and it's not the fun type of cheese. This is bad.

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.

As a kid of just 20 when this came out we were all avid beach volleyball players. The avp was struggling at the time. A few years earlier the avp came to seattle for the first time. We all got jobs shagging balls for the courts. We were players and all around beach rats. When we heard a movie was coming out we held a watch party on tape (dont ask).

Campy and ridiculous. From stokolos taking a name like Rolo and having acting chops of a cardboard Cutout (sorry man, love your court skills but leave acting to the pros) to a ridiculous forced in redemption love story thats just there to get women to watch (cause somehow half naked superior fit men dont??).

Sure, athletes can adjust from one sport to another. As an example we had a 6'5" friend that played basketball ... and eventually he got decent at volleyball. Everything but setting....after 3 years! C. Thomas Howell is neither 6'5" nor a believable basketball prodigy. In the end, he suffered the same fate: hands like spaghetti noodles.

Ive waited a long time to review this movie and wanted to Go with the spoofs cause it'd be fun, but i cant. I love the sport too much and hollywood owes us a GREAT volleyball movie a la Miracle for hockey. So far, 30 years later, trash. Dont bother looking. From the one with a dog playing vb to the one with helen hunt, And numerous in between, they all suck.

Only watch this movie with copious beer (shouldnt be a problem for most players) and absolute zero expectations.

If you lower your standards and go in there expecting a B-movie, this one is fabulous. First of all, the cast:Peter Horton, C. Thomas Howell (wow, he grew up), Terry Kiser (he's alive for this one!), lovely Courtney Thorne-Smith. Even Kathy Ireland shows up... This movie came out right around the time that I was getting serious about volleyball, so of course my gang and I simply LOVED it. Of course it is totally unrealistic: a guy from nowhere ends up playing in an AVP final in 2 weeks! I wish. Anyway, it's also great to see all the legends of the game: O'Bradovich, Sinjin, Randy, Hov, Dodd, many of whom I have since met in person, wow, it doesn't get better than this. Even if you don't like volleyball, there's a decent plot. If you're a B-movie fan, you can't skip this movie. If every movie must have a deep inner meaning and soul to it, or has to make a statement, by all means skip it.

Latz66 nailed the volleyball part in their review. It was ridiculous. I grew up playing on the beaches of NJ and even met my wife playing in the JSVBA in competitive 2x2 doubles. I started playing in high school, played in college and on the beach in tournaments until my 30s. I still play competitively today (at 53). I was 22 when this movie came out and thought, why not. Then I watched it and had to do a huge face palm when I saw the volleyball scenes. Seeing so many "bumps" over the net was laughable, the blatant carries on sets, the magical jumps by C. Thomas Howe way over the net...

The real volleyball players that were in this movie Randy Stoklos, Sinjin Smith, Steve Timmons (who won two gold medals in 84/88), Mike Dodd (who lost to Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes (also in this movie) in the first ever Olympic Beach volleyball game), and many other real players ... was a nice touch to give a nod to what these guys really do but their acting was ... wow, just bad.

Karch Kiraly was the only guy not in this movie from that era and he is probably the best ever male beach volleyball player. He paved the way for the sport of beach volleyball that later Misty May and Kerri Walsh starred in.

Now to movie ...

C. Thomas Howe and Peter Horton? Really? At least C. Thomas Howe was in good shape but Howe was 5'10" and Horton 6'1". Not that they couldn't play at those heights but the real players in this movie were all around 6'4" or taller. They would have dominated these two but I'll give Hollywood a pass on this because the acting scenes by the real players were atrocious and they needed someone with Peter Horton's depth to pull off Zack Barnes.

As far as the story ... typical late 80's early 90's B level movie. Lots of bikinis to keep the boys interested and shirtless men to keep the girls interested. One review on here compares C. Thomas Howe to Jesus which I think it a bit of a HUGE stretch but it's your typical root for the underdog story with the typical Hollywood ending. If you have never played volleyball competitively the movie is fine to watch, if you have played, just bite your tongue and enjoy the scenery.

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 movie is perfect.. If you do not like this movie then you are not a beach volleyball player. This movie provides the viewer with everything needed for a great plot... I can watch this movie everyday and want to hit the beach. An instant classic......If you think this movie is not good, then you are not a volleyball player or failed to be any good...Peter Horton plays an excellent part of an aging classic player... The cast is made up of a lot of pro volleyball players as it should be. If i had anything bad to say about this movies is that its not 2 hours long. I would have liked to see more volleyball practicing between Horton and Howell as student and teacher... Over all movie is A+++++++....

Sooooo many people are giving this an instant classic status in the reviews that I think if Hollywood were smart (and we all know it's not) that they would invest in another Volleyball movie.

Don't worry, I don't think this is an instant classic.

But I do think it is a fun and entertaining B-movie. And I can see the volleyball thing. I grew up in a Podunk, backwater, destroyed by NAFTA, factory town in the Midwest and among kids...Volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee were pretty big. So was disc golf.

Volleyball was actually so big, we even had a bar designed around it... no BS, but you had to have something to play, right? All the Sandlots were occupied by children, football was too big and organized to be a go to pick up... Volleyball you only need 4 people, easy to round up.

So the whole thesis that there is a kid from the Midwest that didn't know how to play Volleyball... not buying it. I'll believe he's not used to the sand, that's about it.

But you know Hollywood. They have the impression that the Midwest is Chicago.... and idiots that can only recognize corn and the children that live in it.

Anyway, take movies like "Over the Top,"movies like "Aireborne" "Karate Kid" movies about the kid out of water that arrives in a new place and wins people over because of his skill at... whatever... and you have this.

Or at least you have half of it. The other half is an extended version of the Top Gun volleyball scene, with worse music.

The plot is hopelessly sophomoric, the acting is universally poor, and the sports as unrealistic as it gets. Yet there is something engaging about attractive partially clad people living the beach life fantasy.

A college basketball player comes to LA to work for his uncle's law firm. Through improbable circumstances he befriends a deadbeat ex-pro volleyball player about to be evicted from his multimillion dollar ocean view home (everyone lives on the beach in SoCal) and the only way to avoid eviction is to win the beach volleyball tournament conveniently taking place in a few weeks! A couple weeks of part-time training the unlikely pair are beating ex-olympians who are the best beach volleyballers in the world. Throw in a never happen love interest and you've got yourself a film.

It's produced in the style of those films from the 50's where the kids hold a car wash to raise money to get grandma that operation and save the family farm from the evil banker.

Eight stars for being fun with no shoehorned in beat us over the head "message".