Eddie (1996)
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15% of critics liked it
(33 reviews) -
42% of users liked it
(24,192 ratings)
In this comedy, a basketball fan figures she could be a better coach than the guy getting paid millions to do the job -- and then gets the chance to prove it. Edwina "Eddie" Franklin (Whoopi Goldberg) is a limousine dispatcher and sometime driver who is a passionate New York Knicks fan; she loyally… More In this comedy, a basketball fan figures she could be a better coach than the guy getting paid millions to do the job -- and then gets the chance to prove it. Edwina "Eddie" Franklin (Whoopi Goldberg) is a limousine dispatcher and sometime driver who is a passionate New York Knicks fan; she loyally follows their every move, attending as many home games as possible from the cheap seats and radioing game updates to her drivers when they play during her working hours. The Knicks are purchased by eccentric Southern millionaire Wild Bill Burgess (Frank Langella) in the middle of a long losing streak; when Wild Bill calls for a limo, Eddie arranges to drive him herself, and gives him a piece of her mind about the sad state of the team. Impressed, Wild Bill makes Eddie an honorary coach for the night, and her spitfire attitude and encouragement of the players impresses her. However, Wild Bill thinks putting on a show to boost attendance is more important than having a winning team, and eventually Knicks coach Bailey (Dennis Farina) quits in disgust. Wild Bill gets the bright idea of hiring Eddie as the team's new head coach; she considers it an honor, and at only $50,000 a year, he considers it a bargain. While Eddie is hardly an experienced leader, she soon learns how to motivate her team, and against all odds she helps pull the Knicks out of their losing streak -- but now has to face Wild Bill, who is losing interest in the team and wants to sell. Several real-life NBA stars make cameo appearances, including Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Rick Fox, and Mark Jackson, while prominent New Yorkers David Letterman and Donald Trump play themselves. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Rating, Runtime
- PG-13, 1 hr. 40 min.
- Directed By
- Steve Rash
- Genres
- Comedy
- In Theaters
- May 31, 1996 Wide
- On DVD
- Dec 7, 1999
Critic Reviews
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Bruce Walker, Washington Post
The next hour or so is filled with the Knicks committing turnovers, until a player tells Eddie they'll keep losing until she takes an interest in their personal lives. Wow!
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Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
It's a fresh, funny, engaging picture that sets up an arresting situation and then follows through on it realistically.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This sounds like a sensational scenario, but, alas, almost everything in betweenis recycled out of lightweight sports-movie cliches, and the movie never captures the electricity and excitement of the real NBA.
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Mike Clark, USA Today
As long as the hoopsters mix it up with the Whoopster, it's fun. A second-string story keeps interrupting, though.
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Janet Maslin, New York Times
Ms. Goldberg has everything it takes -- terrific lungs, endless wisecracks, that ear-to-ear grin -- to play the New York Knicks fan who is the star of this Cinderella story.
Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
Cast
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Whoopi Goldbergas Edwina "Eddie" Franklin -
Frank Langellaas Wild Bill Burgess -
Dennis Farinaas Coach Bailey
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Richard Jenkinsas Carl Zimmerman -
Lisa Ann Walteras Claudine -
John Benjamin Hickeyas Joe Nader
