Youngblood

Maybe it's because I neither follow hockey nor care for it, or maybe it's because I'm a 15-year-old female teenager, but I liked this movie. Sure, it's nothing special or extraordinary, in fact its plot has been done a million times. But I just liked it. It's virtually impossible not to like Dean Youngblood (and it's got nothing to do with the fact that Rob Lowe is hot) and to cheer for him when he finally learns how to hit a guy. The romance between Dean and Jessie actually doesn't seem forced; the two of them have a certain chemistry that is quite obvious to viewers like myself. Cynthia Gibb is all-natural in her role as Jessie, and Patrick Swayze evokes empathy in the viewer as the high-school drop-out who is *this close* to being a pro hockey player. But it is Rob Lowe who basically carried the whole movie, and once again, it has got nothing to do with the fact that he is hot.

Overall, this is a feel-good hockey movie that I liked. I usually can't stand sports movies, as I hate sports with an intense passion, but this one is just...well, it's just nice. And then there's Rob Lowe...

While there have been many posts stating that this movie is a poor representation of what hockey is really like, I must disagree. I have played hockey up to the college level, and I have had more than one occasion to tryout or play for junior teams in Canada. While many specifics in the movie are exagerated, the parts that people seem to be most offended by are the parts that are true. There is something to be said for rinks that have chain link fencing in stead of glass, every tryout has one or two guys that trip over the blue line untouched, fighting at tryouts, and yes, there are Canadian towns which are old and run down. The social aspects of the movie are definately true: the woman that every guy has been with, the initiating of the rookie, silly girls at the local bar, and of course, the unruley fans. While the movie does take some creative liscence, it is an accurate representation of what life is like for a hockey player trying to make it in junior hockey. I love this movie. It is a must see for anyone who plays the game.

This film is well cast, and acted, there is a story, and the game of hockey is made clear even to those who are not fans. Some of the photography is way above average, for example the scene of puck shooting exercises by "Youngblood". The relationships between two brothers, father son, and two friends Judd Lowe and Patrick Swayze are all well presented. There was not a dull moment in this film. But above all this was a good vehicle to show Judd Lowe's talent. He really held the movie. It is a shame that he lost the momentum of his career by becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Of course it did not hurt to have Patrick Swayze, Ed Lauter, Cynthia Gibb, and even Keanu Reeves. I am comparing it to another movie about young men whose dream is to join a professional sports team (Baseball) "Sugar" (2008) which was slow moving, Youngblood has a good pace, and flow of events.

It was with some trepidation that I watched this movie, I loved it as a kid, like I did "Crocodile Dundee" and it's sequel, both of which disappointed me, upon rewatching them recently.

Plot In A Paragraph: Dean Youngblood (Rob Lowe) a 17-year-old farmhand from New York, has dreams of playing in the National Hockey League. He is granted the chance to travel to Canada to try out for the Hamilton Mustangs. At the try-outs, Youngblood displays the talent which got him "92 goals in the New York League" but also displays a lack of physical toughness that is so prized in Canadian hockey. This weakness is pounced upon by a brutish player, Carl Racki (George J. Finn), who is also trying out for the team and engages him in a fight. Youngblood quickly learns that flashiness and pure athletic ability will not be enough to be successful in this league. Despite being beat up by by Racki, the coach opts to select Youngblood for a spot on the team. He ingratiates himself to the other players and particularly Captain Derek Sutton (Patrick Swayze) and the coach's daughter Jessie (Cynthia Gibb), its not long before Racki reappears playing for a rival team.

Rob Lowe is good as Dean Youngblood, he is pretty enough for the "pretty boy" tag and looks in good shape. Cynthia Gibb is very attractive as Jessie Chadwick, and what an ass she has!! I loved it!! Ed Lauter is a lot of fun as Coach Murray Chadwick and George J. Finn is imposing and does a good job as Carl Racki. However Patrick Swayze steals this movie (yes even away from Cynthia Gibb's wonderful ass) as Derek Sutton. He is brilliant, and a reminder of what a talent we have lost.

Keanu Reeves had a small role as Heaver, one of Lowe and Swayze's team mates.

Dean Youngblood (Rob Lowe) is a skilled teen hockey player in upstate New York. He gets a tryout for a junior league team in Hamilton. His father refuses but his older brother Kelly convinces him otherwise. Kelly had tried but got injured. Dean's speed beats out the brute Racki in the eyes of coach Chadwick. The team led by captain Derek Sutton (Patrick Swayze) hazes the rookie. The coach's daughter Jessie (Cynthia Gibb) is intrigued. His landlady Miss McGill (Fionnula Flanagan) has boarded and seduced many hockey players in the past.

This is a pretty average coming-of-age movie. Rob Lowe is a charming young guy. Gibb is winsome. Swayze plays a good older mentor like he does in Dirty Dancing. Keanu Reeves gets a small role early in his career. It has a couple of memorable scenes like the hazing. It's not particularly outstanding but it does the job.