Eddie (film)
| Eddie | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Steve Rash |
| Produced by |
David Permut Mark Burg |
| Screenplay by | Jon Connoly David Loucka Eric Champnella Keith Mitchell Steve Zacharias Jeff Buhai |
| Story by | Steve Zacharias Jeff Buhai Jon Connolly David Loucka |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Stanley Clarke |
| Cinematography | Victor J. Kemper |
| Edited by | Richard Halsey |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by |
Buena Vista Pictures (North America) PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (international) |
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Release date
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May 31, 1996 (U.S.) |
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Running time
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100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $30 million |
| Box office | $31,387,164 |
Eddie is a 1996 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella. The film barely broke even at the box office, grossing $31,387,164 in the US. The film was directed by Steve Rash.
The New York Knicks are also-rans in the NBA, their roster filled with players who either lack talent or are too distracted by off-the-court issues. Nonetheless, limousine driver and rabid fan Edwina "Eddie" Franklin (Whoopi Goldberg) attends every Knicks game in the nosebleed section of Madison Square Garden.
During halftime of a game, Eddie wins a contest to be honorary coach of the Knicks for the second half. She quickly gets on the nerves of head coach John Bailey (Dennis Farina), whom she had heckled earlier. Eddie's popularity piques the interest of the new Knicks owner, "Wild Bill" Burgess (Frank Langella). After he forces Bailey to quit, Burgess names Eddie the new head coach.
At first, she is treated with skepticism and derision. However, she understands that the Knicks have the talent to win, but the players' individual problems have caused the team to underperform. Center Ivan Radmonovich, from Georgia (sometimes referred to as a "Russian"), focuses only on scoring, and his lack of defensive technique leads him to frequently commit unnecessary blocking fouls. Superstar forward Stacey Patton's me-first approach causes him to force low percentage shots because he is unwilling to pass, and his poor attitude hurts the team's morale - for example, he keeps referring to himself in the third person. Rookie Jamal Duncan's occupation with being a rap star keeps him from focusing on his game, especially his free throws. Power Forward Terry Hastings' pending divorce from his wife due to an extramarital affair in Phoenix has a negative effect on his play on the court. At a pivotal moment in practice, Eddie earns the team's respect by taking a hard foul from Patton in order to demonstrate proper defense to Ivan. Eddie also begins to bench Patton in favor of veteran Nate Wilson, who was generally considered washed up because of chronic knee injuries. Wilson experiences a late career resurgence, the Knicks begin to win, and New York City embraces the team and Eddie's colorful personality.
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