Home Team (DVD)

...the kids larger that life home chef, who despite having hardly any hair uses a hairdryer, and also has the same giant bear feet slippers as me! Butler immediately gets on good terms with him as he gives him a good tip on a horse race and he wins.

Thirty minutes into the film not much has happened. The storyline in very basic and the character profiles are straight forward,, the only new edition into the cast is Karen's niece who hopes ...
...soccer pro and the kid home manager come football team coach. Up to this point approximately half way through I considered just turning it off and watching TV, but I soldiered on. The storyline slightly picks up as Karen manages to hoodwink a sleazy coffin salesman into sponsoring the team; it then returns back to the same story.

More football, more toilet humour and more groin related injuries; and of course, more trousers falling ... more

So I'm sat in my room bored and decide to have a browse through my DVD collection, which includes a bunch of cheap two on one disc movie sets which came with my DVD player. I come across one after reading a few blurbs, about a former football hero who is forced into community service at a children's home. The homes administrator Karen is desperate to find an outlet for the kid's undoubted energy and tries to persuade Butler to coach a team; but he rejects the idea.

The tale of this group of misfits starts when they enter the football league anyway with no strip, no sponsors and no coach and find themselves on a loosing streak, yet through all this they manage to show team spirit and each defeat strengthens the bond between them; doesn't that just sound adorable?

And so it begins with an unmemorable line as he enters the "rat trap" which is the children's home, "here goes nothin'". From the beginning the handyman seems to be trying overenthusiastically to fit in, yet isn't exactly greeted with open arms by the kids in care who don't waste any time in playing pranks on him.

The comedy is mild and doesn't really make you laugh out loud, as it often relies on "toilet humour". There are also other traces of comedy such as a kid nicknamed "Pineapple"; and the kids larger that life home chef, who despite having hardly any hair uses a hairdryer, and also has the same giant bear feet slippers as me! Butler immediately gets on good terms with him as he gives him a good tip on a horse race and he wins.

Thirty minutes into the film not much has happened. The storyline in very basic and the character profiles are straight forward,, the only new edition into the cast is Karen's niece who hopes to show the children how to play football, that is if they can stop trying to impress her and pay attention. It then takes a slight twist into more serious realms as Karen makes an emotional plea to the soccer star, who is now branded a "party boy", in the hope that he will change his mind and coach the team, or at least watch their first match. He does not.

There is then a short video of the children playing wearing sub-standard kits, and putting on a shameful display. More humour as the goalies trousers fall down mid goal saving. Then further humour as he runs into his own goalpost.

This comedy monotype continues, with brief stints of seriousness, and tense moments between the soccer pro and the kid home manager come football team coach. Up to this point approximately half way through I considered just turning it off and watching TV, but I soldiered on. The storyline slightly picks up as Karen manages to hoodwink a sleazy coffin salesman into sponsoring the team; it then returns back to the same story.

More football, more toilet humour and more groin related injuries; and of course, more trousers falling down. Plus to top it all off bad sound effects as the ball, sounding more like a party streamer soars through the air, into somebody's groin. There is romance, almost, but I don't believe it suits the theme of this film. This is followed up by Butler FINALLY agreeing to coach the team, who saw that coming!

Tragedy falls upon the children but luckily Butler saves the day, again.

I wont spoil the ending in case you do happen to watch this, but there is a slight Mean Machine, The Longest Yard cliché if you are familiar with either of there films, it is just a shame that Steve Guttenberg's performance doesn't match that of Adam Sandler's, as it is witty at best.

I supposed that this wouldn't exactly be eighty seven minutes wasted, unless you are interested in special features or extras of which this DVD had none. It is simply presented with an aspect ratio of 4:3 Full Screen, and provides Chapter Selection, but that is about it. The only language is English as on subtitles are offered. It is rated PG, and for young children it does display a good message that with perseverance and team work you can overcome any problem that you may face. 

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