A Shot at Glory (2000)

	Directed by: Michael Corrente	COUNTRY USA/UK GENRE Drama/Sports NORWEGIAN TITLE A Shot at Glory RUNNING TIME 115 minutes
	Produced by: Rob Carliner Michael Corrente Robert Duvall
	Written by: Denis O'Neill

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Gordon McLeod	Robert Duvall	½
Peter Cameron	Michael Keaton
Jackie McQuillan	Ally McCoist	½
Martin Smith	Brian Cox
Kate McQuillan	Kirsty Mitchell	½
Kelsey O'Brian	Cole Hauser	½
Irene	Morag Hood

Review

Amiable attempt at portraying Scottish lower-league football, with Robert Duvall as an ageing manager, Michael Keaton as the American club owner, and former Scotland international Ally McCoist as the conceited, veteran Golden Boot-winning striker returning to the Scottish league for a second division swansong. The script is all about clichés and carefully plotted events (albeit more in the romantic subplot than in the main football storyline), but the sports action is fine and the film has a provincial charm that is hard to resist. Ally McCoist is the most surprising element, giving a solid performance, especially in the more challenging dramatic segments. And Robert Duvall is one of those actors who can pull off scenes that might otherwise feel bloated. His much-discussed Scottish accent, which shall remain unassessed here, has been overemphasised by critics. It may be lacking, but Duvall grows into his role and is totally believable as a Scottish football manager. A Shot at Glory is one of the better football films around, and therefore a welcome watch for fans of the British game – if only for the locations, the live action, and the references.