Go team, go!

What do you get when you combine orphans on the brink of homelessness, soccer, a French Canadian social worker and the Gütt as a scandal ridden former athlete (or coach, or something like that)?

The best darn Canadian film I’ve seen in absolutely ages.

It’s 1998’s Home Team, and it’s fun for the whole family.

Steve plays a disgraced former athlete, or coach, or something like that (I have to confess – I got a bit confused there) who is sentenced to a year of working as a handyman in an house for orphans for some kind of gambling related charge. Or an “orphanage” as some might call it.

There’s some weird sexual tension with the woman who runs the house – I thought she was a nun, but apparently she’s just a social worker, so it’s okay if they hook up.

Steve clashes with the kids and doesn’t want to get involved because, you’ll never guess – HE was an orphan and knows these kids need tough love and to learn that they can’t rely on anyone, ever.

Will the kids change his mind? Will the soccer team they’re forced to play on bring them all together? Will they save their house and avoid having to live in the funeral home down the road (don’t ask)?

I think you’ll find that the answers yes, yes and oh my yes.

I was absolutely delighted to find out that this movie was Canadian. I am a huge supporter of bad Canadian movies – especially if they star the Gütt.

I’ve got to confess. I didn’t really pay attention to this movie, as I was doing some cleaning when it was on. But it didn’t look half bad. The kids aren’t that annoying, and it had a few moments that actually made me laugh out loud. And the romance with the French Canandian not-nun weren’t too painful. On the whole, it wasn’t too bad.

And that’s saying quite a bit – we are in the late nineties overacting phase of Guttenberg’s career here.

Title: Home Team

Steve Guttenberg Films Still To Be Collected: 23

Purchased: On ebay

Price: £3.00

Fantastically cheesy Canadian goodness: Priceless.