Necessary Roughness

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Necessary Roughness

PG-13

1991

1h 48m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

35%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Tasked with overhauling a university football team that was dismantled for breaking collegiate rules, coaches Wally Riggendorf (Robert Loggia) and Ed Gennero (Héctor Elizondo) pick unusual new players like junior professor Andre Krimm (Sinbad) and 30-something quarterback Paul Blake (Scott Bakula). As Paul courts professor Suzanne Carter (Harley Jane Kozak), the team struggles until the arrival of a female placekicker, who bolsters the squad as it gets ready to challenge its big rival.

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Critics Consensus

This likeable, goofy football comedy has its moments, but it ultimately adheres too closely to the sports movie playbook to overcome the cliches in the script.

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John Hartl

Seattle Times

01/24/2014

2/4

For every sharp one-liner about a pampered college football team that's "so corrupt it could use its yearbook photos as mug shots," there's a brain-numbing plot development that's straight out of a desperate sitcom.

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Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

01/24/2014

The film itself is a genial, slight, entirely predictable football comedy, but it serves Bakula well.

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Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

01/24/2014

1/5

As they say in football, pass.

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

06/20/2023

Although each cliché makes its regular, and chronological appearance, the actors are good, and the rapid pace doesn't give you any time to yawn. [Full review in Spanish]

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

02/11/2020

3/4

There's little doubt that Necessary Roughness ultimately fares a whole lot better than one might've initially anticipated...

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Andrea Beach

Common Sense Media

05/19/2015

1/5

Awful '90s football story with hard hits, profanity, cliches

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Stan Dragoti

Director

Scott Bakula

Paul Blake

Héctor Elizondo

Coach Ed Gennero

Robert Loggia

Coach Wally Rig

Harley Jane Kozak

Dr. Suzanne Carter

Larry Miller

Dean Phillip Elias

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Bar Brawl

2:03

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Samurai Football

0:58

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Lucy Joins the Team

2:07

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Lucy Gets the Shower

1:14

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Welcome to Football

1:43

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Wally's Pep Talk

0:45

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Going for the Win

2:08

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Taking out the Dean

0:49

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - Andre's a Vegetarian

0:40

Necessary Roughness: Official Clip - The Big Whistle

1:34

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Synopsis

Tasked with overhauling a university football team that was dismantled for breaking collegiate rules, coaches Wally Riggendorf (Robert Loggia) and Ed Gennero (Héctor Elizondo) pick unusual new players like junior professor Andre Krimm (Sinbad) and 30-something quarterback Paul Blake (Scott Bakula). As Paul courts professor Suzanne Carter (Harley Jane Kozak), the team struggles until the arrival of a female placekicker, who bolsters the squad as it gets ready to challenge its big rival.

Director: Stan Dragoti
Producer: Mace Neufeld, Robert Rehme
Screenwriter: Rick Natkin, David Fuller
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $23.6M
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Surround