Movie Movie Podcast

It’s midnight and another Fake Movie Friday is upon us! I know the suspense has been killing you, which is why we’re starting so early. Enjoy! (Sorry for the length…again)

The Quarterback Kid

Billy, played by Cameron Bright, has just entered his freshman year of high school in a town he just moved to. He has made only one friend, another social outcast Daryl played by Daryl Sabara. His father Chaz, played by Matthew Fox(or if he’s not available Hank Azaria), is an ex pro quarterback and now owns used car dealerships in 3 states. They are opening their new super lot, in Michigan someplace, and Chaz needed to be close to this new location.

Billy loves football, there is even a flash back to Billy as a child, one or two years old, on the sidelines of a game. A ball is thrown out of bounds and Billy picks it up and gives it to the ref. It’s a very cute scene, people awing, the commentators say something stupid like “I hear that’s the new center. ” Yes, Billy loves football but he isn’t any good. He’s too clumsy to be a receiver and his dad has always tried to teach him to throw, but he can just never quite get it right. There are scenes of them in the backyard, him trying to throw a ball through a tire swing and breaking windows, knocking a cat out of the tree (it lands on all fours and walks away unharmed), and finally he becomes so frustrated he throws the ball as hard as he can, it is a perfect spiral, flying through the tire perfectly, Billy is thrilled and celebrating, but the ball keeps on moving, hits the side of a house, ricochets and hits the tree, and you know keeps doing that thing, and then knocks Billy unconscious.

He wakes up in a hospital bed, with his dad next to him. Everything is fine with him except he has amnesia! His dad tries to get him to remember by showing him video games and pictures but nothing works. However when Billy sees the football he picks it up and wants to go throw it around. It’s as if he was a different person. Every throw is perfect. He’s throwing it so hard his dad is getting winded just catching it. There’s a whole very heart warming scene.

Billy tries out for the high school team and makes starting quarterback. Everyone is furious and no one likes the new kid at school still except for Daryl. Daryl can be seen at the practices and coaching Billy, always there with a  towel and water bottle. Even though Billy doesn’t remember Daryl, and keeps getting Daryl’s name wrong, but he still knows they’re friends. The team is doing great the whole season, but Billy’s dad never makes the games. Billy is making headlines though, and there are scenes from ESPN talking about him.

(Stay with me now…)

The Detroit Lions are having a humiliatingly awful couple of seasons. Attendance is at an all time low and the team has only one a single game in the first 5. To make matters worse they just lost their quarterback and backups in a crazy game! William Clay Ford is trying to think of something to bring the crowds in. He sees Billy on TV and instantly knows him as Chaz’s son, so he gets to thinking.

Mr Ford offers Billy a spot on the Lions, there is a whole press conference and everything. No one believes it is possible however through this crazy loop hole that by handing the ball to the ref in that one game Billy is somehow seen as participating in an actual game of professional football and is there for eligible. Billy accepts.

Of course there are funny scenes of Billy in the locker room, etc etc. They take it easy on Billy in practice but he is still getting knocked around. Luckily he is actually playing well and can make some incredible passes. He immediately earns the respect of the team.

So they start to play and the Lions start winning. There are crowds of people with Billy’s face held up in celebration, people chanting for him, Billy is getting all sorts of media coverage but his dad still hasn’t made a game. Daryl is there but he’s being pushed further and further back by the media and all the attention Billy is getting otherwise. In the days leading up to the last game of the season, one that will determine a wild card spot there’s a very depressing scene where Billy tells Daryl, who he calls “Dale,” that he doesn’t even know who he is and that if “Dale” were a true friend he would be happy for him. Daryl says “I thought I would too” and leaves.

At the game the next day Billy is upset and not throwing quite as well against the Bears. The Lions are down by 21. The coach pulls him aside and says something mildly inspirational like “size the glory, everyone here is routing for you, make them all proud” and Billy looks into the crowd and sees his dad cheering in the crowd. Billy starts playing great and the team starts to come back. The game is winding down, the Lions are down by 4 and the 2:00 warning just sounded. The Lions have the ball on their 30. Billy drops back for a pass and gets tackled from the side. He’s out cold, the medical staff runs out to the field. Billy starts to come to and looks around in a haze, he sees the doctors working over him and Daryl is there too with a towel and a bottle of water. Billy says, “Daryl?” As he stands up and everyone tries to help him to the sidelines but he insistes on playing. He tries to throw the ball but instead he starts throwing it like he did at the beginning of the movie. He tries to throw again, same thing. They run the ball and miraculously come up with a first down taken out of bounds. Billy tries to throw again and fails, he lobs the ball but they don’t gain much yardage, there is less than a minute left now. Determined Billy hikes the ball and everything goes in slow motion, he sees all the receivers, all the coverage and he has all the time in the world. He throws a perfect spiral to a wide open receiver, and as the ball sores towards him running down the field, it is intercepted at the last second. The Bears run out the clock and the game ends.

Billy and Daryl are walking out and Chaz comes up to him, they all walk out of the stadium together. Billy says something like “I’m sorry I let you down dad” to which Chaz responds “Billy, you could never let me down boy. I’m so proud of you, and I know your mother would be too.” The team is waiting for Billy outside and they all start to cheer as he walks towards them. Everyone is having a good time when one of the players says, “we’ve got a lot of work to do in the off season!” Freeze frame on Billy’s surprised and horrified face!

THE END!