A Última Chance

I guess that everyone has to make a comeback at some point. And that's exactly what embarrassed Taft resident Jack Dundee (Robin Williams) intends to do in "The Best of Times". Yep, the man who went all crazy with the radio in "Good Morning, Vietnam" is playing football. In this case, he seeks to replay a game that cost his high school a prestigious title. But ex-teammate Reno Hightower (Kurt Russell) isn't just going to go along with it so easily.

Granted, it's not the best movie for either man. But Williams and Russell are actually a pretty good comedy team. And some of the names in this movie are likely to give you the giggles (to say the least). Check it out.

The big game defines the modern male in pre-pc America. Your born, you learn a few things, you play in the big game, and you die. Kurt and Robin struggle with the cycle of life in this movie and committ the un-natural act of playing the game over. Not the classic struggle of good versus evil but the classic struggle simply for the sake of strugle. Where is Kid Lester today, on "Pop up Video?"

Have you ever in your life, gone out for a sport's activity, tried your best, and then found yourself in an important segment of it, where for a brief moment, you were given a chance to be a hero and a champion and . . . failed? I believe many of us have had that moment in our lives. This is the premise of the movie, "The Best of Times." In this story a middle age banker, named Jack Dundee (Robin Williams) suffers from the deep melancholy of a football mistake, which happened years ago, is inspired to re-play the game . . again. In order to accomplish this he must convince the once great football quarterback, Reno Hightower (Kurt Russell) to make a comeback. For Reno, who is satisfied with his present lot in life, see's no need to change the past record, which get's better as he ages. Added to both their problem is the fact years have passed and in addition, both their marriages are floundering and in need of re-vamping. Not easy when his Father-in-law (Donald Moffat) habitually reminds him of the biggest drop. Nevertheless, Dundee is persistent and will do anything to try and correct the greatest blunder of his life. Great fun for anyone wishing to enjoy their youth again. ***

Sure, my rating is higher than average I'm sure; but fun is fun.

Robin Williams & Kurt Russell are the key reasons this movie is fun.

Williams' neuroticism (mostly stemming from his failure to catch a pass in high school); is very funny.

Since that fateful day, his failure has consumed by him. Williams makes it funny though.

To some degree, this is a football movie. To a much greater degree; it's the story of a man who will go to ANY lengths to redeem himself (some 15 years later.).

And where does he get the idea on how to redeem himself? From the hooker he regularly visits but has never had sex with.

Wives Palance & Reed, both foxy & awesome, are both dissatisfied with their husbands, but love them. Their roles are as critical as Robin & Kurt's. The wives leverage over their hubbys' weaknesses is also pretty funny.

Father in law Don Moffit (Bakersfield alumni & Williams' antagonist), does a great job in a very key role, constantly taunting his son in law for his inability to catch a pass.

The revitalization of the city (Taft), is a big part of the flick. Williams character (and his natural energy), pull it off well. And Robin's character pulls out all the stops in order to pull the entire town into his way of thinking, albeit, often, by some below board shenanigans.

This is a funny movie, but mostly, just fun.

A decades long keeper in our library; our (now adult) kids love it as well.

Highly recommend.

Bob R.

Jack & Reno have become very mediocre married men, but they have one claim to fame: they were heroes in high school when they played football. The only problem is they lost "that game," the one most important game of the season; then they went on to live their lives, marry the high school sweethearts, and never got a chance to redeem themselves. This has become an obsession, to the point where they can't do anything but think about football. They watch every game that's on.

The problem is, their wives are sick to death of hearing about it- so sick of hearing about football, they are talking about divorce. Still- this obsession is almost as important to them as their marriages.

There is an hilarious scene in which they have finally talked their wives into giving them one more chance, and the four of them are having dinner together. Unfortunately, the wives have picked the worst night of the week to ask them over for dinner: football night. As the four of them sit at the dinner table, the wives are unaware that the football game is on in the next room, and they are more absorbed in the game than in the conversation at table. Watching out of the corners of their eyes, they finally blow their own cover by hollering and screaming at an exciting football play.

Of course, they end the movie with a horribly-played game in which they redeem themselves and everybody is happy ever after. It is the study of men and how they tend to focus on their masculine pursuits to the most ridiculous extremes. And it is a study of how women deal with these "boys will be boys" types. Very real, very funny, and something many of us can surely identify with!!