Without the social questions posed at the beginning of the film, the footage of the competition is not likely to be strong enough on its own to lasso in a new generation of players.
Comment
10/02/05
Rate this Movie 
League of Ordinary Gentlemen (2005)
91
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:34
Fresh:31
Rotten:3
Average Rating:7.3/10
Consensus: Even if bowling isn't your sport, this colorful documentary is still an entertaining watch.
Theatrical Release:May 27, 2005 Limited
Synopsis: Though never a sport of Kings, at one point in time bowling occupied a perfectly respectable place in the pantheon of American sports. It has long been one of the most popular participatory sports... [More]
Get This Movie
Reviews for League of Ordinary Gentlemen
The new and improved Tour now has a terrifically well-made and astute film documenting its birthing pains.
03/01/07
It's a curious movie, in the best sense, acknowledging that everybody is obsessed with something, then finding out why this particular group of people is obsessed with this particular pastime.
07/08/05
Top CriticA spunky documentary about the frantic efforts to resurrect the moribund sport of bowling.
05/26/05
Christopher Browne's documentary acquaints us with these gentlemen by presenting us their passionate quirks that actually don't make them very ordinary at all.
06/04/05
Great characters, big laughs and a helluva climax all combine to make this one of the most entertaining sports documentaries ever made.
03/29/05
Its 98 minutes are as easy to enjoy as picking up a spare, and we don't mean a tire around the waist.
06/03/05
Top CriticDirector Christopher Browne took a lesson from Steve Miller, when it comes to bowling on TV (or in the movies), 'it's all about scoring, pace, and energy'.
09/30/05
Manages to be funny, sad and as informative as you'd want any movie about bowling to be.
07/08/05
Top CriticYou're left with a haunting vision -- of a go-for-it, romantic, fame-and-fortune template featuring quasi-athletes who can't seem to climb out of the lower middle class.
05/27/05
The gladiators of ancient Rome never entered the arena with more pride, passion or determination.
05/27/05
A League of Ordinary Gentlemen looks fondly back at an era when bowling was the most popular leisure activity in America.
05/25/05
Top CriticI know what you're thinking... a documentary about bowling? To which I answer: Hell yeah, and a darn good one, too!
05/26/05
Gentlemen is distinguished by its extraordinary access to the players and tour operators.
07/07/05
After a few flourishes of Errol Morris-like editing, first-timer Browne settles into a tone resembling the ESPN telecasts so crucial to the PBA's revenue stream, thriving on the intrinsic drama of competition and the league's emerging star system.
08/19/05
Top CriticThe film is part nostalgia, part wary tale of wasted youth and part underdog struggle.
07/08/05
Top CriticThis affectionate though unconvincing documentary struggles to present professional bowling as a simpler, nobler pastime from a simpler, nobler time.
05/26/05
Top CriticIt's a workmanlike film, but by the time two of the above bowlers are rolling against each other for the PBA championship, Browne has the audience sweating every spare.
09/26/05
easy to take in, much like spending an afternoon at the lanes with some watery beer
03/01/06
Bowling with Purpose and Meaning, even if they aren't Bowling for Columbine
07/11/05
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
Best Dozen of the Decade 
Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!
Top 50 of 2009
Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.
Santa's Naughty List
Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.
Top 10 Movies of 2009
TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.
Top 20 of the Decade
Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
RSS Feeds