Watch Slap Shot

Slap Shot is a 1977 sports comedy movie starring Paul Newman, Michael Ontkean, and Strother Martin. The movie was directed by George Roy Hill and written by Nancy Dowd. Slap Shot is widely considered as one of the best sports movies of all time and is a cult classic in the genre. The movie is set in Charlestown, a small working-class town in the United States where the local minor league hockey team, the Charlestown Chiefs, is struggling to survive. The team is owned by a sleazy businessman named McGrath, who is more interested in making money than in the success of the team. The players, most of whom are past their prime, are frustrated by the team's dismal performance and lack of respect from the town's residents.

In an effort to save the team and bring some excitement to the sport, the team's coach, Reggie Dunlop (played by Paul Newman), comes up with a plan to use violence as a way to win games. His plan is to create a new style of hockey that focuses on physical aggression, rather than skill and finesse. The players are hesitant at first, but they soon realize that this is their only chance to save the team and their careers.

As the team starts to win games using this new style, the town's residents begin to embrace them and the team gains a cult following. The players enjoy the newfound fame and fortune, but they also begin to lose touch with the original goal of saving their team. They become embroiled in rivalries with other teams, and the violence on the ice spills over into their personal lives.

Throughout the movie, there are several memorable scenes, including the infamous "strip tease" scene where the team's players take off their clothes in a bar to chant "we're number one!". The movie also features several hilarious comedic moments, including a scene where Reggie tries to teach a player how to curse.

One of the key themes of the movie is the idea of the American dream and how it is often corrupted by greed and ambition. The players and the town's residents are all striving to achieve something, whether it be success on the ice or financial success, but they are willing to compromise their morals and values in order to achieve those goals.

Another theme of the movie is the idea of violence in sports and whether it is an essential part of the game or not. The movie explores the morality of using physical aggression as a way to win games and whether it is a viable strategy in the long term.

In conclusion, Slap Shot is a classic sports comedy movie that has stood the test of time. It features a brilliant cast, including a charismatic performance from Paul Newman, and is filled with memorable scenes and quotable one-liners. The movie is a must-watch for sports fans and fans of comedy alike.

Slap Shot is a 1977 comedy with a runtime of 2 hours and 3 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 61.