Roger Ebert gave the movie four stars.
Ebert wrote that Hoosiers works magic in getting us to really care about the fate of the team and the people depending on it.
Ebert said the way it combines sports with human nature reminded him of another wonderful Indiana sports movie, Breaking Away, and called it a movie that is all heart.
The hosts joke that Ebert loves plot and loves heart.

Picking Nits

Jimmy's unexplained hiatus; South Bend's end-game coaching; Coach Dale not drawing the final play for Jimmy; Buddy's unexplained return; Shooter's scouting

In the discussion (5)

Approx. transcript time · 00:30:40Read transcript

It is unclear why Jimmy isn't playing; the old coach died, but he is the best player in 40 years.
The South Bend coach, up four in the final minute with no shot clock, called a play instead of holding the ball and never called timeouts, one of the worst coaching moments.
Maybe overconfidence set in; the South Bend guards are a mess.
Coach Dale diagramming the final play away from Jimmy, the thrown-away Chitwood hiatus, and Buddy reappearing after about 15 minutes.
Shooter's pre-online scouting while hungover is unexplained, prompting a 'Shooter the Scout' spinoff joke.

Casting What-Ifs

Jack Nicholson as Norman Dale; Harry Dean Stanton as Shooter

In the discussion (5)

Approx. transcript time · 01:04:54Read transcript

Jack Nicholson wanted to play Coach Dale, but a lawsuit sidelined him for six months, so the production went with Hackman.
Nicholson later told the director that with him as the star it would have been a mega hit.
One view agrees it would have been a bigger movie with Nicholson, then one of the biggest stars, though he would seem to want to get drunk with Shooter.
Hackman is more believable, and after 35 years the role can't be reimagined with Jack; Nicholson might have played it scaled back like Terms of Endearment.
Harry Dean Stanton turned down Shooter, which led to Hopper, and later expressed regret.

Recasting Couch

No recast; Meryl Streep as the head coach in a women's basketball remake

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:09:01Read transcript

The movie would not be touched; Barbara Hershey alternatives are possible, but her villainy is good.
Meryl Streep as the head coach if they remake it as a women's basketball movie.

Shooter moved from the title game to the hospital; Chitwood actor's later life; filming locations; NCAA suspensions; Hopper's drunk trick; Chitwood's one-take final shot; real Milan details; Hackman's joke to Hopper; Merle actor's death

In the discussion (9)

Approx. transcript time · 01:09:50Read transcript

Shooter was scripted to attend the title game, but Hopper, newly sober, objected that the character would fear relapsing, so he was put in the hospital.
Jimmy Chitwood's actor, Maris Valainis ('Maris Valanis'), became a golf pro in California and was the only player who didn't play college ball.
Most Hickory scenes were shot in Richmond, Indiana.
The NCAA suspended five college-player actors for being paid in the movie.
For drunk scenes, Hopper's trick was 10 seconds' notice before action and spinning in a circle to look disoriented, a trick from James Dean in Giant.
The fans-rushing title shot could be filmed only once; the Chitwood actor missed in rehearsal but made it on the take.
The locker-room blackboard lists real Milan names; Milan won 32-30 in 1954 on Bobby Plump's shot from about the same spot; it was filmed at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Hopper's laugh in a montage came from Hackman saying they would never work again after this movie.
The actor who played Merle, Kent Poole ('Kent Pool'), killed himself in 2003.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Hoosiers box score; slow clap origin; top NBA Jumbotron movie characters; pass-four-times rule for the Celtics; a Dentyne ad; Jimmy Chitwood's next 15 years; Norman Dale's next 10 years

In the discussion (7)

Approx. transcript time · 01:20:48Read transcript

A 2002 Hoosiers diary reconstructed the title-game box score: Jimmy 14 for 18 for 30 of the 42 points; the count is revisited with 26 points and 13 of 14 seen.
Hoosiers did not invent the slow clap; Brubaker (about 1980) did, though Hoosiers has the best one.
Coach Dale and Hickory are proposed as the most-played movie characters on NBA Jumbotrons, ahead of Animal House and Braveheart; a classroom clip is identified as Network.
The pass-four-times rule might even help the 2022 Celtics.
The Buddy Dentyne ('Dentine') scene was never used in a Dentyne ad; gum preferences include Mentos.
Jimmy's next 15 years: maybe college at Indiana and dropping out quickly, like Larry Bird leaving Indiana under Bobby Knight.
Norman Dale's next 10 years: maybe the punching incident resurfaces and he is canceled, or he follows Myra to Chicago and coaches under a new name.

Producer review

Loved it

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:36:06Read transcript

Loved the movie, but did not understand why Barbara Hershey's character, who hates basketball, goes to any of the games. — Craig Horlbeck
Suggested explanations: she loves Jimmy and is looking out for him, or she likes the attention of being the curmudgeon.