Blue Chips

Starring: Nick Nolte, Mary McDonnell, J.T. Walsh, Ed O'Neill, Alfre Woodard, Bob Cousy, Shaquille O'Neal, Penny Hardaway, Matt Nover, Robert Wuhl, Bobby Knight, Larry Bird, Jim Caviezel (uncredited), Kevin Garnett (uncredited), Louis Gossett Jr. (uncredited)
Directed by: William Friedkin
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Sport
1994

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: To rebuild his team, a college basketball coach (Nick Nolte) considers breaking the rules to pay for players.

Review:

Tim: It always felt strange to me that I missed Blue Chips when it was released. I was 12 at the time of its initial release, but it's odd that I never actually watched the movie in ensuing years. It took me until the beginning of 2021 to finally see the film. I really enjoyed the movie. It's an entertaining, engrossing look at college basketball in the 1990s. It touches on themes that are still relevant today. This is a strong basketball movie and one I'd definitely recommend.

The movie follows a fictional college basketball team and their head coach. Coach Bell has been a consistent winner, but his program has hit hard times. He struggles with losing and the idea of how to rebuild the program is daunting. He considers a shortcut- leveraging the school's boosters to illegally pay players as part of their recruitment. As Coach Bell starts going down this path, he sees it for the slippery slope it is whenever you contemplate compromising your values. The story is a fascinating one, as it explores the moral degradation of an honest man, while also exploring the darker, unethical side of college sports.

This duality to the story is perhaps the film's greatest strength. In the years since this movie was released, we've seen many storied college programs hit with cheating scandals. Maybe it's the immense pressure coaches and programs feel to succeed, or the relative ease of taking shortcuts in an institution that puts money above all else, but college sports and unethical behavior sure seem to go hand-in-hand. I appreciated how this film shone a light on that, showed us how relatively easy it is. That's an important part of this movie, but the focus on Coach Bell gives a much-needed individual focus. Bell is like most famous college coaches- he is the program, the program is him. As he contemplates an unethical path, his pulls his program along with him. Those scenes focusing on Bell and what his decisions mean for him are the most compelling of the film.

It certainly helps that the movie assembles a really good cast. Nick Nolte is a continuously underrated acting talent. He was so believable in this role. From what I've seen of college coaches, Pete Bell would comfortably fit in that crowd. Nolte perfectly embodies the most salient characteristics of college coaches. He creates a complex man, a man who struggles with a series of life-changing decisions. His inner turmoil, his own explanations for why he does what he does bubble up from Nolte's performance. It's a truly effective portrayal and it's one of the highlights of the movie. I like Mary McDonnell and while I wish she had more interesting things to do, she certainly contributes to the film. J.T. Walsh is always good in these kinds of roles. I enjoyed Ed O'Neil in his small supporting role. The same can be said for Alfre Woodard and Louis Gossett Jr. It was fun seeing Bob Cousy in a supporting role. Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway were both great additions to the cast. Their acting might not have been great, but they sure make authentic basketball players. I liked seeing Larry Bird and (I suppose) Bobby Knight here. William Friedkin certainly took steps to ensure his cast felt believable.

This movie is certainly a drama first. The basketball scenes are decent, but they're never the focus of the film. It's certainly a movie about a coach and a program, and the basketball games are a backdrop. That's not usually the case with sports movies- the games themselves usually take center stage. I enjoyed that this film took a different approach.

The film culminates in a memorable press conference. I really enjoyed the movie's climax. It gives Nolte a chance to showcase his skill and concludes the film on a high note. It was also a terrific way of pulling the themes of the entire film together into a crescendo. I can't say I fully understand why the movie didn't get more appreciation from critics. Sure, it has its flaws, but it felt to me like it was relatively easy to overlook these issues given the film's strengths. I enjoyed this movie and it's one I wouldn't hesitate to watch again. Blue Chips is a winner in my book.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Program, Hoosiers, Varsity Blues, He Got Game