Quarterback Princess

Some of the dialog and characters here don't strike me as credible; I think there was a good deal of artistic license going on in the name of creating drama for the sake of making a movie. However, Helen Hunt's talents are undeniable, and even at a young age here, she can carry whatever you put on her in a dramatic role.

I'm not sure why "McMinnville" was changed to "Minnville" in the movie (and the real events took place in Philomath, not McMinnville, anyway) but whatever. It was fun to see real-life local sportscaster Rick Metsger in here; that brought back memories for this Oregonian.

Tim Robbins was cute as the dorky backup QB, showing us that shy-guy charm we've seen from him so many times since. I didn't recognize Daphne Zuniga at first; she's so young here! She caught my eye right away though, of course, so I looked up who was playing Kim and... aha. LOL! She's been a stunner for a ridiculously long time.

Kim's interactions with Tami added some tension to the story. (I'm guessing that was embellished some, too, but it was basically credible.) John Stockwell was a good choice for the boyfriend; his awkwardness and sincerity both ring true.

Dana Elcar's heavy was a little bit frustrating for me. Movies love their villains, and he was easy to believe as the crusty opponent to Tami's dream, but I think I would have preferred to see the character be more well-rounded instead of rather cartoonishly single-minded. His objections have merit and there is plenty of room for debate about girls in football; no need IMO to create a single "bad guy" to personify that side of the debate. By vesting so much of the oppositional force of the movie in that one character, the movie somewhat misses a chance to create a more interesting on-screen discussion of the issues. Still, the issues do come through; if you need a conversation starter, this would do it.

In some places, the movie is pretty strongly dated, so don't expect perfection. However, it's good family-friendly fare and an enjoyable watch. I wasn't sure about this one until I saw the cast and the solid rating it got here on IMDb; it's at 6 but I gave it a 7 because I really enjoyed watching an uplifting story with these now-familiar faces in early roles. Then again, I'm from Oregon, so perhaps I'm biased. :-)

I first saw this film when I was 12 years old and I remember it as if it were yesterday. Every frame, every line of dialogue sticks in my mind as if with glue. Is it Helen Hunt's mesmerizing voice or John Stockwell's magnetic high school sexuality? Who could ever say, but that log rolling scene does tip the scale in his favor. That's my opinion and I get to have whatever opinion I want because this is my square of writing, alloted to me by the IMBD. Thank you, IMDB, for letting a guy blow off some steam on a Wednesday night. Steam that's been building up for 25 some odd years. Steam a quarterback needs to win the big game against St. Stephen's. And Helen Hunt has got what it takes to bring home the cup or chalice. I can't remember anymore. So, good then. See it, but don't buy it. It's no good if you have to pay for it. Try to catch it on PAX some afternoon when you're in bed with the flu or chronic depression. Go team. love sincerely, F Mt. P

This a good movie for inspiration. Girl quarterback wins over not only her school, but also the whole town. She proves she can play a "boys" sport well yet still be a feminine girl. It's definitely a message to girls about them being able to do anything. Some of the dialogue is very much stilted, though, especially that it's obviously designed to get across an empowering message. There is a touching but poorly written scene in which Tami and her mother are talking about the differences in choice their generations have, the mother saying she herself has no regrets choosing a marriage and family even though she had few other choices. She makes a statement that I think sums up the message we girls were given growing up in the 80s: "You can do ANYTHING. You can have EVERYTHING." yet the saddest part of all is that over 20 years later this movie could be remade practically verbatim and still be relevant. I'm sure girls in tackle football would still be fought against in the average American town.

Probably the best but most unrealistic part is that, despite almost the entire town being against Tami playing football, none of the boys on the team have any objections. They're all very supportive of her. That's great for fiction, but I doubt that was entirely true in the real story. Good overall, if you can ignore some of the more uneven parts and some of the mediocre acting.

This movie the Quarterback Princess is surly a classic, much inspiration for our younger youth and parents alike. You will leave this film with the "I can do anything attitude:)" Having 3 girls of my own, this was one we'll enjoy watching over & over! Who knows, I just may have the next "Quarterback Princess" *smiles* Helen Hunt did an awesome job portraying a high school teen surviving the trials and errors of being the odd "woman out", and overcoming with a winning finish by playing ball and holding her own when it came to the nay sayers of the town. This is a win-win movie that I feel anyone would truly enjoy with family or friends.

Quarterback Princess is an inspiring movie. The story takes you through a young girl's struggle to achieve her dream...of being a high school quarterback. You become so engrossed in this movie you root Tami (Helen Hunt) on as if you were part of this story. Tami Maida and her family move from Canada so her father can finish school. Tami desperately wants to be part of the Grizzly Football team. Many people in the town try to disband this idea, they even suggest she can be a cheerleader, but she is given a try-out. To everyone's surprise Tami is an excellent quarterback. The film looks at how everyone treats her different. Her teammates treat her as a football player, her classmates treat her as an outcast, and her boyfriend doesn't know how to treat her, as a girl or a football player? This film will make you want to be one of Tami's supporters and will pull at your heart-strings