Slap Shot | Hockey,Chaos and Paul Newman's Charm

This week on Forgotten Cinema, we lace up our skates and hit the ice with Slap Shot (1977), George Roy Hill’s raunchy, rough-around-the-edges hockey comedy starring Paul Newman.

Field finds Slap Shot hilarious. A gritty snapshot of 1970s filmmaking with its almost indie-style presentation, loose structure, and unapologetically bawdy humor. Butler, on the other hand, isn’t quite as charmed. It’s not the dated language that puts him off (he gets that it’s a product of its time), but the style itself feels lazy and wears thin as the film goes on.

The Hanson Brothers Show Up (Eventually)

Where we agree is that once the Hanson Brothers finally take the ice — nearly 48 minutes into the film — the movie comes alive. The chaos they bring is absurd, violent, and wildly entertaining, injecting energy into a film that spends a lot of its first half meandering.

Paul Newman Holds It Together

Through it all, Paul Newman is the glue that keeps Slap Shot from completely falling apart. His performance as player-coach Reggie Dunlop is slimy, charming, and effortlessly watchable, giving the movie just enough heart to balance its outrageous antics.

Final Thoughts on Slap Shot

Slap Shot may not be on for everyone, and its humor can definitely feel like it overstays its welcome, but it remains a cult classic for a reason. Between Newman’s performance, the memorable supporting cast, and the sheer absurdity of the Hanson Brothers’ antics, there’s enough here to make it a fascinating time capsule of sports comedies from the late ’70s.

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