There’s a few films that have slipped through my cinema education, Hoosiers with Gene Hackman was one of them. Sports films aren’t always my jam, but I know people who swear by this movie. With Hackman’s passing, I thought I was past due to take a look at this one.

And hey look, it’s got a score by Jerry Goldsmith and it’s based on a true story!

This may be one of my favorite Hackman performances. He knows how to play the moments, big and small. He plays Coach Norman Dale, who ten years earlier had coached college basketball, but something happened to oust him, and now he’s getting a second chance, with highs school basketball.

High school basketball in small town Hickory, Indiana.

Set in 1954, Dale finds he’s less than welcome in the town. Everyone has preconceptions about how the game should be played, and how the team should be run. No one seems to want him here, including, at least initially, his new squad.

He even clashes with one of his fellow teachers, Myra (Barbara Hershey).

But the entire film seems to be about possibilities and second chances. Benefiting from those second chances is Shooter (Dennis Hopper in an Oscar nominated performance), drunkenly clinging to his glory days when he was on the court. He’s offered a second chance, but human nature may hold him back from the second chance of a lifetime.

Dale pushes the squad, forming them into a team, and they begin their seemingly impossible run to the State championship.

Perfectly cast and shot, Hoosiers captures the thrill of the game, and captivates with fantastic characters brought to life by wonderful actors. There are a number of arcs for characters large and small and they all pay off, but you can’t take your eyes off Hackman.

There is subtlety and emotion playing through his face at all times. There’s pride and fear as the games play out, and Hackman’s Coach shines in every moment.

I had a lot of strong emotions watching this one, having dived into it for the first time. I got caught up in the mastery of the craft, the editing, the pacing, the performances, the importance of every character on screen. This was a masterful film, and it may in fact be one of the greatest sports films ever made.

I loved it, and it’s been a long time since I even set foot on a court. In fact the last time may have been right around the time this one had come out.

Hackman will be missed, but wow, what a legacy he left as an actor. He brought everyone of his characters to vivid life, grounding them in reality, and made sure we couldn’t stop watching him.

Loved it.