Another film that Disney acquired as part of the Fox purchase, and added to Disney Plus with the addition of the 'Star' brand is "The Air Up There" a 1994 family sports comedy. Whilst it's not without some moments of entertainment, ultimately, I was rather bored by the whole thing.
Jimmy Dolan (Kevin Bacon) the maverick assistant coach of a successful university team. Wanting to be installed as the head coach, he spots a potential player in the background of a video of missionary work in Africa. He flies to the village to try and recruit Saleh (Charles Gitonga Maina) but discovers that Saleh is Prince of the tribe and they are enduring a border dispute with the local mining town and their conveniently basketball obsessed mayor Nyaga (Mabutho Sithole).
I'm tempted to throw out the old "White Saviour" trope for this film, but really, I'm not sure it fits. Dolan doesn't really fix all the tribes' problems as much as just bring them to a head. But, whilst I'd never go as far as saying that I hated this one, it never quite rises above "alright" and struggled to hold my attention through it's run. It's really basic story, which is the problem, the classic sports movie narrative isn't deviated from much, it's not particularly funny or dramatic. Bacon is just coming to the end of the first phase of his career, and still has some of the gurning faces that made up his child and teenage roles. Charles Gitonga Maina is personable but isn't asked to do much from a dramatic standpoint.
It's not a terrible film, it's aging a bit now admitted but ultimately it's just wasn't interesting enough to hold my attention.
Jimmy Dolan (Kevin Bacon) the maverick assistant coach of a successful university team. Wanting to be installed as the head coach, he spots a potential player in the background of a video of missionary work in Africa. He flies to the village to try and recruit Saleh (Charles Gitonga Maina) but discovers that Saleh is Prince of the tribe and they are enduring a border dispute with the local mining town and their conveniently basketball obsessed mayor Nyaga (Mabutho Sithole).
I'm tempted to throw out the old "White Saviour" trope for this film, but really, I'm not sure it fits. Dolan doesn't really fix all the tribes' problems as much as just bring them to a head. But, whilst I'd never go as far as saying that I hated this one, it never quite rises above "alright" and struggled to hold my attention through it's run. It's really basic story, which is the problem, the classic sports movie narrative isn't deviated from much, it's not particularly funny or dramatic. Bacon is just coming to the end of the first phase of his career, and still has some of the gurning faces that made up his child and teenage roles. Charles Gitonga Maina is personable but isn't asked to do much from a dramatic standpoint.
It's not a terrible film, it's aging a bit now admitted but ultimately it's just wasn't interesting enough to hold my attention.