Ahead of a brand new Netflix show offering a fresh and humorous take on American sports, why not check out this underrated sports comedy?
Kate Hudson takes the lead as Isla Gordon, the newly appointed manager of a highly successful basketball team in Running Point. This irreverent sports satire, co-created by Mindy Kaling, is set to hit the streaming platform this week.
Before you dive into your next comedy marathon, consider warming up with another basketball-themed comedy featuring a beloved Hollywood star. Champions, also available on Netflix, serves as an ideal mood-booster, reminding viewers of the joys of sport before Running Point pulls back the curtain.
Woody Harrelson, known for his role in The Hunger Games, portrays a disgruntled minor-league basketball coach sentenced to community service after a clash with a fellow coach. Tasked with coaching a ragtag team of players with disabilities, he gradually rediscovers his love for the game as he gets to know the enthusiastic professionals.
Despite a lukewarm reception from critics, earning a 59 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences adored it, awarding it a score of 95 percent and showering it with glowing reviews online.
Praise has even been heaped on the comedy by some professional critics, such as Mark Kermode who penned a review for the Guardian: “What makes Champions a treat is the deftness with which Mark Rizzo’s script sidesteps sentimentality in favour of something more raucously truthful, conjuring fully rounded characters with believably messy lives, all delivered with Dodgeball-style sporting chutzpah.”
A five-star user review on Google exclaimed: “This is an outstanding movie…
“The real stars of this movie, however, are the entire team of actors, all with actual disabilities, who act and play the lights out under Harrelson’s gifted coaching,” before admitting, “I did not expect Champions to be nearly as good as it is.”
Another review reflected similar sentiments: “A beautiful movie. The actors did an amazing job and kept part of their own personality in it.
“Very funny, and one of those movies that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. A movie about friendship and gives education [about] people with disabilities and showing us how much they are capable of and how much they contribute to society.”
Further applause came from Letterboxd with a glowing five-star write-up: “I love films like this in this sub genre. A massively wholesome easy watch that had the perfect amount of humour and emotional moments, I teared up twice at the end and got so invested in the team and story.
“Nothing crazy technically wise but for how it made me feel and what I enjoy, it was perfect. Woody Harrelson was amazing. Definitely a film I will rewatch a lot.”
The heartwarming comedy film has captured the hearts of many fans who wholeheartedly recommend it – catch it before Netflix releases its latest original sports-themed sitcom.
Champions is available to stream on Netflix. Running Point premieres Thursday, 27th February.