The Best of Times (1986 film)

The Best of Times is a 1986 American comedy-drama film directed by Roger Spottiswoode, written by Ron Shelton, and starring Robin Williams and Kurt Russell as two friends attempting to relive a high school football game.

The Best of Times
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRoger Spottiswoode
Produced byGordon Carroll
Written byRon Shelton
Starring
Music byArthur B. Rubinstein
CinematographyCharles F. Wheeler
Edited byGarth Craven
Production
company
Kings Road Entertainment
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • January 31, 1986 (1986-01-31)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$7.8 million[1]

Plot

Jack Dundee (Williams) is a banker obsessed with what he considers the most shameful moment in his life: dropping a perfectly thrown pass in the final seconds of the 1972 high school football game between Taft and their arch rivals, Bakersfield, which ended in a scoreless tie.

Since that game, Jack has found it impossible to forget this event. He works for his father-in-law, The Colonel, Bakersfield's biggest supporter, who reminds him of the event almost daily.

Thirteen years later, Jack coerces Reno Hightower (Russell), quarterback of the fateful game, and now a financially struggling garage owner in debt to Jack's bank, into helping him replay the game. He convinces supporters in both towns to re-stage the game and in the process revitalizes Taft, as well as his and Reno's marriages.

Cast

Production

Filming

Much of the film was shot in and around the actual Taft Union High School. The football scenes took place at Pierce Junior College in the San Fernando Valley. The night game was filmed at Moorpark High School, in Moorpark, CA.

Release

Critical reception

The film received mixed reviews, with a 31% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 13 reviews.[2] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B+" on scale of A to F.[3]

Pauline Kael called the film "a small town comedy where the whole population is caught up in some glorious foolishness."[4] Scott Weinberg of eFilmCritic.com wrote: "Forgotten by most yet seemingly adored by those who choose to remember it, The Best of Times stands in my book as one of the truly great sports comedies."[5]

References
  1. The Best of Times at Box Office Mojo
  2. "The Best of Times". Rotten Tomatoes.
  3. "Cinemascore". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  4. Kael, Pauline. Hooked. p. 110. ISBN 0-7145-2903-6.
  5. Scott Weinberg (July 17, 2002). "Movie Review - Best of Times, The - eFilmCritic". www.efilmcritic.com.


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