Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon (1998)

Fun Football Frolic

We enjoy movies about underdogs, and this movie with its overly long title is no exception. Tony Danza is Philadelphia garbage man Barney Gorman, who has developed incredible leg strength by kicking a hydraulic control handle on his garbage truck, named Ethel. When Philadelphia Eagles' recruiter Wendy Fox (Julie Stewart) spots Barney kicking water bottles incredible distances, she gets the idea to add Barney to the team. At the time the Eagles were doing poorly and their kicker was missing easy field goals and extra points (according to this movie - I have no clue as to how the real Eagles were doing at that point).

Barney becomes an instant celebrity as he embodies the spirit of every person who has ever dreamed of playing for a professional football team. However, Barney encounters significant resistance from Coach Rogenheimer (Art LaFleur) and his team mates, including huge Bubba (Jaime Cardriche), who look down on this non-professional. As the movie progresses we see Barney gain the respect of his team mates and his coach, and we see Barney lose the respect of his family, his friends and eventually his fans. Of course, this is a Disney movie and we know that somehow things will come to some kind of satisfactory ending.

This made-for-tv movie is different because it combines the usual incredible aspects of a Disney movie with genuine human behavior. In his own way Barney Gorman cares about people and they care about him. Barney is well liked and is that kind of person that we all think of as a nice guy. When Barney manages to disappoint his son, then his fans, and finally his wife, we see that fame and fortune have changed Barney from a nice guy to a slightly greedy person who has gotten lost in his own fame. Fortunately, Barney is unhappy with the person he has become and chooses to be the better, more obscure, and less affluent person. The moral of the story is not that you should be poor, happy and a nice guy, but that you should be true to yourself because that is when you are happiest.

There are two shining moments in this movie. From Barney's viewpoint that moment is when he realizes what his fame has done to him, and makes the choice to walk away. From a football fan's viewpoint, it is when Barney reminds his team mates that the team is there not for themselves, but for all the average people with less glamorous jobs who look forward to watching the team play. Those of us who get caught up in themselves would do well to remember that regardless of how great we think we are our true importance is the legacy of what we bring to others.
October 29, 2005

A fun film

It is a great comedy about a garbage collector who gets a chance to be in the NFL and the impact this has on him, his family, and his team. The only negative comment I can make is that the title is too long. Definitely recommended. August 1, 2003

A Feel Good Football Movie

Barney Gorman (Danza) is a garbage man (sanitation engineer) for the City of Philadelphia. His garbage truck (Ethel) is old and has a problematic hydraulic unit. Barney has developed quite a leg, of necessity, from kicking the lift lever to make it operate. His wife Marie, (Jessica Tuck a/k/a Jillian on "Judging Amy) is an assistant at a local hospital. His son is embarrassed when his Dad shows up at the school for "Career Day" (kind of like parental occupational Show & Tell) reeking of garbage and exhibiting a dead, well-taxidermed rat.

The Philadelphia Eagles are having a mediocre year - to the chagrin of their new owner who is trying to prevail on local government to build him a new stadium. (If you live in Minnesota, this part will sound WAY too familiar.) While looking for possible new sites for the stadium, the owner sees a disgruntled Barney kicking empy containers out of the garbage dump, and, as they say in other movies "A Star is Born."

Kids will enjoy teammate Bubba's exercise routine. The rib-eating contest - to the accompaniment of the theme song of "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" is fun too (somewhat reminded this viewer of Paul Newman's egg escapade in "Cool Hand Luke.")

This is a Disney film- not Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday." It's a fun, albeit sanitized, view of the NFL. The team drinks Diet Coke™, and for a raucous night out on the town, drives around singing "Working at the Car Wash." But there are lessons to be learned here for young and old. Danza's rousing halftime locker room speech is sentiment that all NFL players and employees would do well to heed. February 21, 2002

Dis Movees FANTestic

If there ever was a movie which truly made point of expressing the heart and soul of Philadelphia, it's the Trash Picking Field Goal Kicking something or other. Following the path of many Italian American actors such as Sidney Poitier, Reb Brown, and Rip Taylor; Tony Danza gave a performance which screamed OSCAR! Unfortunately, the Academy was in the midst of dealing with Titanic and couldnt be disturbed when Mr. Danza took a tape of the film to the Academy's Doorstep. Bravo Mr. Danza, you've lit the flame for young Italian American actors who are semi-retarded, one phrase describes you...SIMPLY THE BEST I look forward to your guest appearance in the next Angels in the Outfield movie as well as the ten year reunion of Whose The Boss? ..."Whose the boss Mr. Danza?" YOU ARE! -TonyDanzaIsMyDad August 23, 2001

Danza RULES!!!

It's no secret the Tony Danza has turned in some moving, heart-wrenching performances in his day, but with this performance, he has put himself on a plateau of Italian-American actors which incldues Robert DeNiro, Marlon Brando, and Woody Allen. His portrayal of a young Reggie White in this movie is both amazing and sublime. E-A-G-E-L-S...EAGLES!!! July 19, 2001

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