Face-Off

From IMDB - "A young hockey player becomes an overnight star of the Toronto Maple Leafs and falls in love with a beautiful young singer. Their relationship is plagued by his "jock" nature and decadent lifestyle."

I first heard about Face-Off when reading Derek Sanderson's biography, which is great; you should read it. Derek Anderson is one of several real professional hockey players to have speaking roles in Face-Off.  George “Chief” Armstrong has the biggest role, he's a proper character who is a kind of mentor to the movie's main character rookie Maple Leaf Billy Duke.  

I don't watch a lot of dramas, so I have no idea if Face-Off is a good example of the genre. It's not really a sports movie, not like Rocky or anything. Hockey is there to represent society with all its rules and violence and all that good stuff. I think we're supposed to agree with the filthy pot smoking hippies in the movie. I don't. Sherri is a nice girl having her life ruined by the hippies. She needs strength and order in her life; she needs Billy, but he realizes that it is too late to save her. It's all very tragic.  

 I like Face-Off. It's a window into a Canada that doesn't exist anymore. The hockey footage of 70's NHL games is great. Look at all those guys without helmets flying around, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, and a bunch of all-time greats.   

The DVD I have has a parody done by SCTV in the '80s with John Candy as Billy, and Rick Moranis as The Chief, it's funny. Good stuff. 

I'd recommend Face-Off.