Blue Chips

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Blue Chips

PG-13,

1994,

1h 48m,

Drama

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Watchlist

44%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

51%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

44%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

51%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Pete Bell (Nick Nolte) is a college basketball coach who has to improve his team's standing -- by any means necessary. His hopes are pinned on a trio of talented players: Neon Boudeaux (Shaquille O'Neal), Butch McRae (Penny Hardaway) and Ricky Roe (Matt Nover). But in order to get them to sign to his school, Bell will have to illegally pay the players off. If he's caught, it could destroy Bell's coaching career and cast a cloud of shame over his team. Will he risk it all to win?

Critics Consensus

Director William Friedkin is working with a strong cast, but an excess of sentimentality renders this basketball drama more than a little flat.

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

Mar 25, 2008

A deafness-inducing but otherwise ho-hum would-be expose of shady recruiting practices by college basketball programs.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Mar 25, 2008

Not even an unsentimental basketball fan like director William Friedkin can wash away all the corn syrup.

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Janet Maslin

New York Times

May 20, 2003

3.5/5

If Mr. Friedkin didn't have to work so strenuously framing two-shots of Mr. Nolte with this seven-foot athlete, it might be hard to remember that Mr. O'Neal has a day job.

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Dan Buffa

Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)

Aug 20, 2024

Friedkin and Shelton know how to mix action, words and music effectively, and Nolte absolutely gives until it's gone as Pete Bell, who will make basketball seem exciting and sexy even to a casual fan.

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Tim Stevens

The Spool

Sep 27, 2023

While shot dynamically, the camera movements and editing diminish the on-court action.

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Peter Martin

EverythingButHorror.com

Aug 14, 2023

Features an absolutely terrific performance by Nick Nolte, and provides evidence that William Friedkin's abilities as a director could make movies that were compelling, lively, exciting, and thoroughly entertaining, no matter their subject matter.

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Hermione S

Sep 20, 2018

Love this novie I would watch it all the time growing up in the 90s

Finn W

Apr 28, 2018

one of the better sporting movies it seems. with a superb performance from nick nolte this movie shows you that doing everything you can to win ultimately means you may lose overall.

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George S

Feb 26, 2018

Nick Nolte's performance in this movie gets better every time I watch it.

Anakin L

Jul 7, 2017

Story about a college basketball coach who decides to lie and cheat his way to win games again after a losing season. Penny Hardaway and Shaq? Really? Ruined the movie casting those two. And then having him coach against Bobby Knight was just ridiculous.

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Anakin M

Mar 15, 2017

Blue Chips is one of the best kept secrets of the 90's. If you're reading this saying "wtf dude I love this movie how is it a secret?" then first off, I love you, and secondly most people I talk to haven't seen this movie. I know...what's their deal? Nick Nolte absolutely kills it as the troubled coach Pete Bell who faces a dire internal battle between conforming to what seems to be the only way to compete in the modern college basketball recruiting landscape, or tarnishing the purest thing in the world to him: the game of basketball. Throw in some very surprisingly good performances by Kazaam himself, Shaquille O'Neal, and Penny Hardaway, and Blue Chips is perhaps the most realistic view of a college basketball program we've ever seen on screen. The basketball scenes in this movie are incredible (probably because they had NBA superstars performing them) and Nolte elevates everyone who interacts with him on screen. It's March Madness as I write this, and I can't wait to sit on my couch, turn on my tv, and watch games where I know probably half the players are being paid, but I really don't care. For more of the Bro Force Squad check us out at broforcesquad.com

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Abraham S

Jan 12, 2017

One of the best sports movies of all time!

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William Friedkin

Director

Nick Nolte

Pete Bell

Mary McDonnell

Jenny Bell

Shaquille O'Neal

Neon

J.T. Walsh

Happy

Ed O'Neill

Ed

Blue Chips: Official Clip - Ejected

2:13

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - Please Don't Step on the Kids

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - Neon Jams, Winning!

1:53

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - The S.A.T. Bet

1:43

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - Coach Bell's Pep Talk

1:36

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - Meet Neon

2:07

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - How Bad Can it Get?

1:51

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - Western Vs. Indiana

2:12

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - Neon Goes to College

2:03

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Synopsis

Pete Bell (Nick Nolte) is a college basketball coach who has to improve his team's standing -- by any means necessary. His hopes are pinned on a trio of talented players: Neon Boudeaux (Shaquille O'Neal), Butch McRae (Penny Hardaway) and Ricky Roe (Matt Nover). But in order to get them to sign to his school, Bell will have to illegally pay the players off. If he's caught, it could destroy Bell's coaching career and cast a cloud of shame over his team. Will he risk it all to win?

Director: William Friedkin
Producer: Michele Rappaport
Screenwriter: Ron Shelton
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 18, 1994, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $21.8M
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Surround

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