Celtic Pride (1996) Online

This has to be in my top 10 favourite movies of all time it is great, The performance laid down by Damon wayans is one of Oscar nomination quality and although it wasn't a very recognised film that doesnt stop it from being an excellent film.

It's game 6 of the NBA playoffs with the Celtics 3-2 up against the Utah Jazz and seemingly about to win the title on their home court in Boston. Lifelong fans Mike O'Hara and Jimmy Flaherty may have personal problems but these are put in perspective opposite the dream of catching the title. However Utah's best player, Lewis Scott, is carrying the team and responsible for most of their points. When he destroys the Celtics in game 6, things look bleak. Bumping into him in a bar later that night, Mike and Jimmy plan to get him so drunk he'll still he weak in several days time when game 7 is played. However when they wake up beside him the next morning they kidnap him and plan to hold him until after game 7 has passed. However things are harder than they imagined.

Being a basketball fan I'll give anything that involves the game a try, whether it is more serious films like Blue Chips and He Got Game or comedies like this or Eddie. This film had potential and, opening with a funny sequence where Mike fails to pass on his passion to his students, it looked like it was going to be good. The plot is filled out by poking fun at the excessive sports fans and also taking a more serious look from the point of view of the players themselves (as represented by Scott). However, where things fall down a little is in the delivery.

Marketed as a `wacky' comedy of sorts, the film wants to be that (hence the presence of Aykroyd and Stern) but this means that the more interesting side of the film is ignored and allowed to fall into disrepair (before finally collapsing in the final `7 months later' shot). As a comedy it is entertaining without ever being very funny – I didn't laugh out loud very often but I found it passable and light hearted. It never really gets any better than that sadly, but I felt that this lack of consistent laughs could have been covered if the darker side of the fan/player relationship had been brought out more.

Unfortunately this side slides for the whole of the film until nothing of interest is really left. There are imaginative touches that suggest a better film, but overall the lack of an effective dramatic streak to the film (no matter how secondary it would have been) is a problem. Without it the plot seems trivial and makes it harder to hold the audience's interest. This isn't helped by the fact that the film feels quite cheap and quickly put together. This is shown throughout the film but is clearest in it's portrayal of the basketball action. I wasn't expecting them to have the feel of a big stadium or have total realism, but the games are such a joke (in terms the play) that it made me realise how little effort was put into some aspects of the film.

The cast is OK but the names suggest that a more `zany' comedy was expected to be the outcome of this film. Aykroyd plays a lesser role but has some good dream sequences, Stern is left to lead the film and he appears to lack the confidence to do it well. Wayans is the real star here which is a worrying thing. His character is the strongest and also has the most to say as he is not just a comedy figure in the way the other two are. He leads well and is actually OK but his basketball scenes are poor. For He Got Game, Ray Allen coached Washington so he'd look the part, it appears no-one saw the need for that approach here.

Overall this is a wacky comedy with few laughs. Because it seems to favour the `zany' knockabout side of it's nature, it neglects the darker more interesting side and suffers as a result. This film never made it to the cinema in the UK and barely made an impact on video – there are reasons for this.

i really like this movie. it's funny,and very entertaining. it was trashed by critics,but who cares it's good! i watch it very often,and never really get tired of it. some of the wisecracks wayans' makes at stern,and aykroyd are very funny. it's just a very fun movie! i give celtic pride *** out of ****

dan aykroyd great as crazed,fanatical celtic fan, teams up with his celtic fan partner daniel stern(of home alone fame). both are crazy,funny, and natural. damon wayans adds to the cast as utah jazz basketball player. street smart comedic wayans(from brooklyn) is just right for the part. deion sanders is great as himself.movie is very entertaining and was underrated. better than the critics said.

As a Celtic fan for a number of years, I was looking forward to this film, only to be a victim of the filmworld's incredible bias. This tape got slammed-dunked in the garbage pail, where it belongs.

I was totally offended at Dan Ackroyd making several out-and-out extremely bigoted anti-Christian statements, designed for cheap laughs that would never be permitted had he been denigrating any other religion or race or group. If that wasn't enough, we get a guy holding a sign with Scripture reference acting rude and then getting beat up....for laughs again. Incredible. This movie doesn't stop there. We also see a black guy yelling racist remarks that a white person would never get away with saying, and rightly so.....but in Hollywood, these double standards still exist.

It turns out the only funny thing in the movie was the parody of fans who take sports too seriously. That was the idea behind the story, so why all the religious cheap shots?

Celtic Pride is about two die hard Boston Sports fans who after their beloved Boston Celtics lose game 6 of the NBA Finals, they go and accidentally kidnap the star of the opposing team.

This is a great movie that is very underrated when it comes to the great movies that came in the 1990's, and Daniel Stern and Dan Akyrod are a great duo then most people would think. If you are a Die Hard Sports fan, like myself, you will love this movie, I could relate to the dedication Daniel Stern and Dan Akyrod's character show.

For this movie to get a 5.2 makes me question the reviewers on IMDb, This is a movie that will put a smile on your face, and is very Underrated.

I go for the Milwalkie Bucks myself but I used to go for the Celtics... Welcome to my review on a very underrated movie. Celtic Pride was released in the fun year of 1996. It stars Daniel Stern, Dan Akroyd and Damon Wayons. Now, Daniel Stern is an extraordinarily funny actor and a great one in retrospective. Dan Akroyd is also an awesome actor who actually signed my DVD of this film when he was on a world tour. The film is very funny and the comedic acting is legendary. I think anyone who's seen this film probably disagrees with the 5.1. I rate this film a 7.2 for its memorable style and character which is hard to find in movies these days. I definitely recommend having this film in your collection as you can watch it over and over again. Click if this review was useful to you if you go for the Milwalkie Bucks. If not that, I go for the Green bay Packers in the N.F.L, San Jose Sharks in the N.H.L and mildly follow the A.F.L, my team there are the Fremantle Dockers... And so, be sure to check out my upcoming reviews for anticipated films like The Amazing Spiderman 2, Godzilla, X Men IV, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Hobbit part 3 and more!

I always enjoyed this movie from when i used to watch it on video & i still find it a good fun watch & the trio of comedy actors are great together!!! Dan Aykroyd is always fantastic he's a comedy genius & Daniel stern is always fun to watch when he's stressed out & flipping lol & daman wayans is also great at comedy just watch Mo' Money & he's great at action- The last Action Hero so yeah a great team in a crazy sports comedy

This movie is damn funny. I've seen it plenty of times and always laugh my ass off. Akroyd, one of the greatest comedians in film of the 80's and 90's is fantastic. Stern is good as he usually is. Wayns probably steals most of the scenes he's in and you ended up liking him when you don't want to. And on a final note as a sports fan, I hate the Boston Celtics. But I love this movie.

This movie is in my top 10 favorite comedy movies. I am not a Boston Celtics fan, but man, damn this movie made me laugh. The from the mid 90's, the golden era of comedies, and for me this is a must see. Best hostage movie of the 1990's :) I found this to be a hilarious movie and wholly recommend it.

Farcical sports comedy about the outer limits of rabid sports fandom stars Daniel Stern as Mike, a Boston Phys. Ed. teacher fiercely devoted to the Celtics basketball team. As our story begins, the Celtics are facing off against the Utah Jazz for the championship, before Boston Gardens is due to be demolished. One night, Mike and his tagalong pal Jimmy (Dan Aykroyd) encounter Lewis Scott (Damon Wayans), the selfish, egomaniacal star player for the Jazz, in a bar, and the three of them get just drunk enough that Mike and Jimmy are able to successfully kidnap Lewis. They figure they'll hold on to him long enough to ensure that the Celtics win, but naturally things go completely awry.

Written by Judd Apatow, based on a story by him and Colin Quinn, this does take some pretty hard and amusing digs at sports fans. Not that it's an especially witty screenplay, though; it's really the cast, who give it 100%, that make it work as well as it does. Wayans is a hoot as the sports superstar who isn't exactly lacking insight into his schmucky abductors. Stern and Aykroyd are well cast; Stern is a comedic ball of fire as always. Gail O'Grady does alright with a clichéd role as a fed up wife. Paul Guilfoyle is entertaining as a Boston cop. Christopher McDonald has some funny moments (especially "I hate my life.") as the coach of the Jazz. Darrell Hammond has a small role, while various real life basketball celebrities have cameo roles. (The cameo by a certain football star at the end is hilarious.)

Speaking personally, I didn't feel that the pacing was all that bad. At least this watchable if uninspired movie only runs about an hour and a half.

Six out of 10.

Celtic Pride is a good example of a movie that is doomed to go straight to video and cable. Although it did play in selected theaters, the public wasn't aware of the movie until it found itself on the shelves at the local video store. The idea about the Boston Celtics and the Garden is great. Then again, the idea alone is not going to carry a movie. Damon Wayans, Daniel Stern and Dan Aykroyd star in a movie that is only half funny. To say this is a great comedy is a mouthful. A nice movie with some laughs, sure, but overall, the movie falls short for anything timeless. Stern and Aykroyd are good actors but are not stars. They alone can not carry a film. While Wayans is one of the only funny things about the movie, the story fails to have him as a major part to the story. Stern and Aykroyd are good supporting actors when they team up with other actor like Billy Crystal and Chevy Chase. Alone, or even together, they do not have the chemistry that makes comedy teams. A nice little movie that can be found in the bargain bin and the video store or on cable television at 2 o'clock in the morning.

Review contains spoilers...

Two immature Celtics fans orchestrate an impromptu kidnapping of the star of the Utah Jazz in an effort to give the Celts the advantage in the deciding game of the NBA Finals.

When he escapes, he promises he will turn them in if the Jazz do not win. So these two moronic Celtic fans have to root for the Jazz in order to stay out of jail! When the Jazz win, they are happy..

Ugh!

But the audience is not. I am not a Celts fan, but if I were, I would be insulted by this movie. First of all, its called "Celtic Pride", which in an insult to the word 'pide', secondly, THEY LOSE THE NBA Championship, and third, over the final credits, we see Boston Garden be destroyed by wrecking balls! YAY!

To make it all that much worse, the kidnapped player happens to be an obnoxious, ball-hogging player, but through his adventures, He Learns Something about Friendship, Team and the Things that Matter the Most.

Spare me. Movie is a crock from start to finish. There is maybe a laugh or two to be had over the superstitions of a sports fan, over the over-exposure of an athlete, but they are few and far between. 3/10.

Sometime we need to a movie where the only object is spend 90 minutes in totally unengagement and funny. This is the case of `Celtic Pride' a movie purely comic, where the laughter have a principal character in that. The story is that two friends Mike(Daniel Stern) and Jimmy(Dan Aykroyd) fans of the league Boston Celtic abduct a players of the against league for allow of them Boston the victory. All of that accompany a electric lyric `Play the Funky music' and a lot of laughter and hilarious also thanks to two great comedy actors : Stern and Aykroyd that succeeded to create a wonderful odd couple with a harmony truly surprising and funny, but two professional comic actors this is that who wait you, complete the cast a justly arrogant and disagreeable Damon Waynes in the character of the basketball players abducted. For all people that want laughter without thinks. My rate is 6.

Sports fanaticism is rampant everywhere, as we see on TV riots at soccer games world wide as well as antics of fans at all the major sporting events in this country. It was very funny to see the diehard Boston Celtics fans, Daniel Stern and Dan Aykroyd, switch seats to bring some luck to the Celtics, get the other fans to leave their seats and stand in the aisle, kick a friend who came late out of the arena because he brought bad luck, etc. I suspect everyone does things like that, perhaps on a smaller scale, while rooting for a favorite team. I remember a ritual I had while rooting for the New York baseball Giants as a kid and I'm convinced I helped them win the 1954 pennant and World series. So the opening basketball sequence had me rolling in the aisles. But once they "accidentally" kidnap the best Utah Jazz player, Damon Wayans, in an effort to help the Celtics win the championship, the comedy loses its steam. It somehow reminded me of the horrendous scandals involving skater Tanya Harding as well as that of Monica Seles who was actually stabbed by a fan wanting her to lose. Nothing was funny in the second half of the film. It took the wrong direction and hit a dead end.

Two die-hard Boston Celtic fans go out of their way to mess up the star player before game 7 of the Finals, and then accidently kidnap him. Not deep, but it doesn't have to be.

A movie that a good sports fan would find as humorous, but a movie fan would only find forgetable. Akroyd, Stern, and Wayans all turn in entertaining performances, but the true star of the movie is....

Christopher McDonald. He made me laugh my head off with the "Uhhhhhhh I hate my life" line. Akroyd doing the "Shakacon" thing was hillarious, as was his dream.

Overall, it was enjoyable, but proceed with caution.

***+(3.5)/*****(5).

1st, everyone keeps dissing the Celtic Pride film. I think the movie was a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I am a Boston fan but still look at it as if i weren't. What other team has made a movie? Not one, celtics are legendary for there championships over the years. Anyhow Damon Waynes, a (very good actor) did keep the movie funny with his rude comments, and Dan Akyroid and Daniel Stern(very good actors) did there part to play the role of washed up, lazy, full time sports fans dedicated to the game. The movie however no one wanted to see which makes me ponder would people wanna see it if the movie was about another team. My friend made fun of it, but then accually watched it and said "that movies wasn't bad at all" he laughed so many times. Its a good comedy, give the movie a chance, don't hate... on something great... I give my love to the director, he took a chance, i think he did the best he could for this movie.

The first thing that struck me about "Celtic Pride" is that it was too heavy, too dark and too busy with other things, rather than focusing on its current story. It was as if it was never content with where it was, always wanting to move forward, anticipating any possible flaw that may come along the way. It seemed scared to go for any big laughs, afraid it might be shot down by picky film-goers. In the process it did, in fact, hurt itself even more by anticipating this.

Mike (Daniel Stern) and Jimmy (Dan Aykroyd) are big-time Boston Celtics fans. They get mood swings when the Celtics are losing, they get all-time-highs when they are winning. Mike's wife has even left him because he is so wrapped up around the sport. In the beginning of the movie, the Celtics and the Utah Jazz are about to play the sixth game of the NBA championships. Mike and Jimmy, eagerly anticipating and looking forward to the game, get front-row seats and watch in horror as the Jazz's newest player, Lewis Scott (Damon Wayans), completely owns the court and practically beats the Celtics by himself.

Mike and Jimmy woefully retreat to a local bar, where they find that Lewis Scott is drinking. Posing as enthusiastic Utah fans, Mike and Jimmy push Scott to drink more and more, getting him extremely drunk. There's a funny scene during this when Mike and Jimmy meet Larry Byrd and have to pretend that they are Utah fans. The real big sports fans out there might get a kick out of that, and even the whole movie, but only the strong ones.

After their late-night drinking binge, Mike and Jimmy take Scott back to their home, and eventually kidnap him, holding him hostage in Jimmy's apartment.

Damon Wayans, star of "Bulletproof" and "Major Payne," is surprisingly the funniest guy in this movie. He reminds me of the black version of my uncle, both in looks, humor and facial expressions. He gets the good one-liners, the good jokes. And it's funny to watch him be suspicious of everyone, such as when Mike and Jimmy originally approach him. Watch his face. His eyebrow arches, he talks sarcastically. I must say I was surprised.

But Dan Aykroyd and Daniel Stern, both men I generally like in comedies, seem to just go with the flow, not really helping out the movie a lot. They are supposed to be long-time buddies and sports fanatics, but we don't feel any mutual sports bond between them, or just a bonding of friendship. The actors themselves are fine, but fail to deliver any sparks of chemistry.

"Celtic Pride" is too heavy on itself. It's too serious, too melodramatic, too anti-climatic. It is as if director Tom De Cerchio is afraid to try anything risky for big laughs. Something like "There's Something About Mary" may not be the funniest movie ever (I certainly didn't think so), but the laughs were controversial and made the film more than worth seeing. "Celtic Pride" is just another average, run-o'-the-mill comedy. Ho-hum laughter result from ho-hum gags. There's nothing very funny here. It's basically for the very big sports fanatics, the kind of fanatics who would ritualistically kill off opposing team players just for their team to win. The premise of this movie is no doubt very funny in itself, but one single premise cannot a good movie make.

2.5/5 stars -

John Ulmer

The epitomization of this movie has roots that predate the meaning of the word "suck". Its unbelievable that there are grown men with supposed educational degrees out there that think the simplest plot synopsis of this movie can actually fly. Bring your barf suppresant and thank me later.

This woof of a movie presents dan aykroyd and daniel stern who could shoot their agents and rightfully receive congressional medals of honor. Even damon wayans, the least antagonistic ingredient in this ghastly contrived slop, doesnt deserve the painful placement of hackened actor turned hero in the end.

There is no simply no reason for anyone who isnt under the tutelage of leopold von sacher-masoch to view this movie. If you havent seen this movie, consider yourself blessed and depart yourself forever from it.

A negative 5 stars.

Celtic Pride is essentially a one note comedy film, yet the pairing of two likable comedy men, an original plot, and some heavy jokes make this film more than average. This is a different kind of sports comedy where the excitement isn't coming from the players, but two rabid fans of the Boston Celtics.

Dan Akroyd and Daniel Stern play Mike and Jimmy, two hardcore fans of the Boston Celtics. The Celts are in the finals with the Utah Jazz and their star player selfish, ballhog Lewis Scott (Wayans). After losing game six, it's on to game seven where either the Celts or the Jazz will become the champions. So Mike and Jimmy go to a nightclub after the game, and get drunk with Scott, before they wake up in Mike's basement with him tied up, and no recollection of the events that took place the night before.

Mike and Jimmy find out from their cop-buddy (Guilfoyle) that kidnapping is kidnapping no matter what time they let the victim go. So they think they should show something for it, and hold Lewis till after game seven so the Celts have a good shot of winning. Their plan goes awry when the cad starts playing mind-games with the two in order to disassemble their longtime friendship.

This is one of the comedies you have to search under the bed for. Even with Akroyd, Stern, and Wayans on the cover this film is usually lost in the dust compared to Akroyd's others like The Great Outdoors and Ghostbusters. This isn't better than those two works of comedic gold, but they do present the same feel-good aspect and have a warm, fuzzy, classic feeling to them.

The pairing of Dan Akroyd and Daniel Stern wasn't unlikely at the time, and they do a good job at being the two buddies. The funniest stuff is from Damon though as he continues to play games with Mike's head saying that "you're his bitch" and consistently taunts him. Thankfully, the movie isn't just made up of these games because if it was, I don't think we could call this a buddy comedy.

Now that it's 2011, I was surprised to see Judd Apatow's name all over this film as producer, story creator, and writer. The current generation knows Apatow for making heartfelt, with an essence of raunch and silly comedy-drama premises. In the nineties, he was more about the laughs than the drama. Celtic Pride can also serve as a time capsule of a different time in a film-maker's life.

Celtic Pride doesn't over-shoot or overstay its welcome. It runs for a comfortable ninety-one minutes, and it goes by quickly. A different side of sports comedies adding flavor and a good amount of heart, Celtic Pride has green and white blood pumping thru its veins.

Starring: Dan Akroyd, Daniel Stern, and Damon Wayans. Directed by: Tom DeCerhio.

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** This movie was great. A summary on it would be this: Michael O'Hara(Daniel Stern) and Jimmy Fleherty(Dan Akroyd) are two diehard basketball fans who would do anything to make their Celtics win. One player on the jazz's team Lewis Scott(Damon Wayans) litterallly single handidly tore up the Celtics in the first game. Michael and Jimmy did't actually kidnap Scott. They all got wasted and then they were at Jimmy's crib and Scott was ductaped to the bed. Scott makes some good wisecracks and finally he was let loose. In order, for O'Hara and Flerahty not to go to jail, they had to root for the Jazz. At the end of the game, these two Celtics fans, I think, Actually rooted for the Jazz.

Celtic pride: I think that the tittle means everything about the film. Two Boston Celtic fans doing what ever it takes for their teem to win. Even if it means kidnapping the enemy. This movie is for Celtic fans especially. Lary Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin Mchale, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge the best starting 5 that was ever put together are not it but it's still a good representation of die hard Celtic fans.

Dan Aykroyd is the man possibly the best comedian that ever lived. It goes back to 1975 on Saturday Nigt Live in its early prime years Elwood Blues, Mr. Conehead, Fred Garvmen Male prostitute, and more. on the show e=h e proved he was the funniest man of the 70's, 80's and 90's He also made a good New England sports fans Celtics and Bruins, and with his awesome voices he does an awesome imitation of Marv Albert. This is a movie for a New England comedy fan.

Jimmy is so obsessed with sports that while he is doing a plumbing job, he takes a break to watch a Bruins game and when the rich man demands he finish the job, Jimmy asks him to hold it. Mike is also obsessed, because he ended up a gym teacher rather than having a pro basketball career. He scares the kids at his school, and his wife Carol wants him out of the house.

The devoted Celtics fans go to what may be the last game in the arena before its demolition, the game that could win their team the NBA championship. But the Celtics lose, despite all of Jimmy's and Mike's efforts--switching seats depending on whether the game is even or odd, and depending on which half it is. Demanding that a man who arrived during halftime leave because the Celtics have been playing poorly since he got there. Even persuading the fans to spread out and leave them the only ones in their section of the arena.

There's only one way to make sure the Celtics win the final game: when they see Utah Jazz star Lewis Scott drinking in a bar, they pretend to be fans and persuade him to get drunk so he won't be at his best for the game. That plan doesn't go as well as hoped, and the results are hilarious.

Damon Wayans was great as the conceited Lewis, especially in a Nike commercial satirizing Charles Barkley's comments about not wanting to be a role model (the commercial was later parodied in a funny dream where Jimmy was a celebrated plumber). He considered Jimmy and Mike to be a couple of losers who weren't worth anything, and because he had the talent, he was entitled to whatever he had, and they were entitled to nothing. Dan Aykroyd was okay as Jimmy, but you couldn't tell from this that he ever got an Oscar nomination. Daniel Stern started out terrible as Mike but got better. The overall results were good if you just want to watch a fun movie without caring whether anyone has talent.

Possible Spoiler:

Larry Bird walked up as the guys were making a big deal over Lewis, and it was so painful for these obsessed Celtics fans to have to pretend in front of possibly the greatest Celtics player ever--making Bird ashamed!

DEFINITE SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once Lewis is allowed to go back to his team, he promises not to turn the guys in for kidnapping if they promise to root for him and his team. The final game is the best part of the movie!

This is the single greatest Boston basketball hostage movie of the 1990's. Damon Wayans is reminiscent of a young Poitier in his role of Lewis Scott, a man who was born to play the game. The problem is, two Boston basketball fans do not want to see Scott and his Utah Jazz defeat their beloved Boston Celtics. So they kidnap him. The homosexual chemistry between Daniel Stern and Dan Aykroyd is a delight, as it is rare that Kevin Arnold and Beldar Conehead can live together in eternal bliss. Celtic Pride mixes themes of anti-basketball hostage and gay rights in a march to the finish line in the marathon of film. It's a shame that Daniel Stern did not receive the Oscar for his exquisite role as Mike O'Hara, a homosexual alcoholic father who really only needs his lover (Aykroyd), and the Boston Celtics. Three hurrahs for director Tom DiCerchio!