Blue Chips

PG-13

Released Feb 18, 1994

1h 48m

Drama

List

38%

Tomatometer

29 Reviews

51%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

Pete Bell (Nick Nolte) is a college basketball coach who has to improve his team's standing -- by any means necessary. His hopes are pinned on a trio of talented players: Neon Boudeaux (Shaquille O'Neal), Butch McRae (Penny Hardaway) and Ricky Roe (Matt Nover). But in order to get them to sign to his school, Bell will have to illegally pay the players off. If he's caught, it could destroy Bell's coaching career and cast a cloud of shame over his team. Will he risk it all to win?

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Critics Consensus

Director William Friedkin is working with a strong cast, but an excess of sentimentality renders this basketball drama more than a little flat.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

A deafness-inducing but otherwise ho-hum would-be expose of shady recruiting practices by college basketball programs.

Mar 25, 2008

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Not even an unsentimental basketball fan like director William Friedkin can wash away all the corn syrup.

Mar 25, 2008

Full Review

Tim Stevens

The Spool

While shot dynamically, the camera movements and editing diminish the on-court action.

Sep 27, 2023

Full Review

Peter Martin

EverythingButHorror.com

Features an absolutely terrific performance by Nick Nolte, and provides evidence that William Friedkin's abilities as a director could make movies that were compelling, lively, exciting, and thoroughly entertaining, no matter their subject matter.

Aug 14, 2023

Full Review

Film4

Watching various hoop stars and legends trying to act is cringeworthy, O'Neal particularly bad, but Friedkin's movie, written by sports film specialist Shelton has a lot of passion.

Mar 25, 2008

Full Review

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Garret G

A man named Amin referred me to this movie but I think this a phobe. Bob Cousy better be happy he acted against Electricians and Plumbers or he may be the most ass on acting I've ever seen.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/12/24

Full Review

Steve D

Far more notable for its cameos than anything else, but watchable.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Some fun stuff for sure as a college basketball fan, Nolte was really really good in this. The basketball scenes were shot well and it was fun to see Knight, Boeheim, and Dickie V.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Garrett B

A better than average sports movie that gets a little too heavy handed with the moral lessons.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/15/22

Full Review

ashley h

Blue Chips is a disappointing film. It is about a college basketball coach who is forced to break the rules in order to get the players he needs to stay competitive. Nick Nolte and Mary McDonnell give horrible performances. The script is badly written. William Friedkin did a terrible job directing this movie. I was not impressed with this motion picture.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Rich S

Very little about this movie rings true in Nolte's performance as the head coach of a major collegiate basketball power. His final postgame press-conference speech is both pretentious and ridiculous.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/27/20

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William Friedkin

Director

Nick Nolte

Pete Bell

Mary McDonnell

Jenny Bell

Shaquille O'Neal

Neon

J.T. Walsh

Happy

Ed O'Neill

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Blue Chips: Official Clip - Ejected