Everybody's All-American (1988)

Sadly Over-hyped

How sad is this?

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Even though I do not watch sports anymore, I used to watch them quite a lot and will still watch this movie whenever it's on TV. Definitely one of the best sports films of all time, realistic and superbly acted, this film follows a quarterback hero and his "trophy" wife from college to well beyond retirement. Topics of love, friendship, fidelity, aging and loyalty are all dealt with in profound ways. Dennis Quaid and Jessica Lange give probably their best performances ever and the supporting cast does not disappoint. It is melodramatic, but it comes from a place of integrity instilled in the writing and direction of the film. If you're a guy and in the mood to watch something both you and your girl can enjoy, I would highly recommend renting this. It's too bad that so many below average sports movies get more praise than they deserve and lesser known films like this one fall by the wayside. 9/10

My favorite line in the movie is a colloquy towards the end between Cake's (the academic)girlfriend and Gavin. She offhandedly, and almost sarcastically, remarks to Gavin that he can't "let the old team down". With profound seriousness he responds "Honey,I never did". For those of us who have starred on the athletic field, this sentiment often drove us. For me, this movie realistically captured the experience of being an athletic hero. As I tell my young atheletes who I now coach, no matter what tribulations and setbacks may befall you; no one can ever take away from them what they have achieved on the field. I recommend the movie.

This movie has it all. The jock (Dennis Quaid), the high school princess (Jessica Lange), the academic (Timothy Hutton), the party guy (John Goodman), and a great plot that realistically portrays how stars fade from greatness. Along the way the film chronicles important periods in America, like racial segregation.Jessica Lange's performance is unparalleled (as usual). I would recommend this film to everyone.

The saga of a football player is the basis of this film based on a Frank Deford novel. The story covers twenty-five years as the lead character played well by Dennis Quaid goes from absolute Mr. Touchdown USA in college to the pro ranks with a last place team. The game of football is now a business and his profession. Jessica Lange is his sweetheart who marries her gridiron hero and quickly learns being the homecoming queen means little after the magical college days are gone. Although the central part of the film concerns Football this film is much more as it highlights various events of the late 50's into the 60's always keeping tabs on Quaids gridiron exploits. Good support from John Goodman as Quaids devoted college teammate and eventual business partner. Carl Lumbly as Blue a Football player as talented as Quaids character who could have gone for the brass ring in the pro game but opted instead to make things better for his race and achieve something more for himself than scoring touchdowns and hearing cheering crowds. Timothy Hutton is cast as Quaids cousin. An individual who possesses academic skills equal to that of Quaids athletic skills. In the end who has achieved the greater success? A great character study set during a time when the game produced heroes people really believed in even though their idols private lives were not always perfect like they may have imagined.