It is a performances centric movie

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

This is the best football movie ever made. It doesn't have all the clichés that normal football movies have where the starting quarterback gets the beautiful cheerleader and any certain game is won at the buzzer on some totally bizarre play. It's about the truth of what goes on in the college game. Sure, this stuff doesn't happen everywhere, but it certain frickin' happens. I'm talking about the steroids, the football players being allowed a free pass when it comes to academics, the fact that some people cannot even read but are able to go to college just to play a damn game.This movie shows it all. James Caan does a perfect job of playing the coach trying to keep it all together. Although he is corrupted just as much as his players, he had his own problems to worry about with losing his job so he had a big balancing act to perform. This movie was NOT about triumph, it's about tragedy and sacrifice that young men make just to be a top player in a sport which in the long run normally doesn't amount to anything.Great watch for you people who don't know much about the "behind the scenes" stuff and if you haven't seen this movie and are interested in college football, check it out. It's not necessarily a greatly acted movie, but it's a very telling movie which more people should pay attention to. 7 out of 10 in my book for what it's worth.

Not really much plot - just life on a major college football team with the emphasis on their Heisman candidate QB and the freshman RB. James Caan dominates the film as the head coach who has seen it all and, after two losing seasons in a row, knows he needs a winner . Has this guy ever been in a really bad movie or given a bad performance? Goes back a long ways - he was making movies with John Wayne in the 60s.Hale Berry (before she became a star) has a big part as the tutor to the star RB. Even looks pretty for about the only time in her career. But the real appeal is Kristy Swanson, the most beautiful women in film history. She plays the QB's girl and is her usual knockout self, though she looks a few pounds overweight.

Well the only reason I saw this film is because Halle Berry was in it. The DVD is presented in widescreen format and offers no special features (unless you count English captions and a "keep case" special... let alone features!). "The Program" had a street-chicken scene removed because some child imitated the scene and got himself killed. So it was in the actual theatrical presentation for a little while, but was cut while still in theaters. The Program on DVD is little more than itself on VHS.Rated R for language and brief nudity (bare male backside), this film drama is not so deep and imaginative results lead to resolutions. The ESU backdrop is actually Duke University in South Carolina so their stadium is where the football action happens. The football is core to the film, but there are five players with short stories to tell on and off the field: The plight of the college athlete... Siskel and Ebert liked it though. Halle Berry, Andrew Byrniarski, and Duane Davis are the best things about this movie. Berry's figure is wasted in this movie, but she still delivers her part well as token love interest (such a nice, decent girl). Byrniarski and Davis have the most entertaining problems and dialogue respectively. Craig Sheffer as Joe Kane is the male lead not James Caan. Caan doesn't do much but play coach.My final thoughts are that Halle Berry should have been a smart and sassy gold digger who slapped someone (anyone will do), Byrniarski should have gone for the full monty, shower and locker scenes should have been visually R-rated too with better casting, Craig Sheffer isn't cute enough to be a quarterback, and the movie should have ended. Just how did the season end? I'd like to know. Other than that, "The Program" is an okay film, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I saw this film yesterday. It's about a bunch of people from a university learning the pressures of football. They really want to win a big game. Competition divides them talent unites them. They do win their football game. And the kids practice and practice. The place ends in a library.