The Little Giants

Happy Monday. It's time to get Mighty! Ryan is here to help review the 1994 classic, The Little Giants.

ABOUT THE LITTLE GIANTS:

Misfits form their own opposing team to an elite peewee football team, coached by the elite team coach's brother.

AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR THE LITTLE GIANTS:

October 14, 1994 | Theaters

CAST & CREW OF THE LITTLE GIANTS:

• Rick Moranis as Danny O’Shea
• Ed O’Neill as Kevin O’Shea
• Shawna Waldron as Becky “Icebox” O’Shea
• Devon Sawa as Junior Floyd

BRAN'S THE LITTLE GIANTS SYNOPSIS:

The movie kicks off with some wacky football animation. The X’s. The O’s. The Little Giants.

It’s 1964, and the O’Shea brothers are walking down the street. Big brother Kevin is annoyed that little brother Danny is tagging along to play football with his friends. So annoyed, in fact, that Kevin won’t even pick him to be on his team. To cheer him up, he tells Danny that one day their names will both be on the town water tower—The O’Shea Brothers.

Cut to the present, and the only name on that water tower is Kevin’s. Kevin owns a car dealership and, most importantly, coaches pee-wee football. Today is tryouts. One of those hopefuls is Icebox—or should I say, Becky… Danny’s daughter. That’s right, a girl!

We quickly learn just how much Kevin has accomplished: championships in high school and college, the Heisman Trophy—he’s done it all.

Time to find out who made the team. All the “dorks” you’d expect get cut… along with Icebox. Danny tells his brother he’s wrong about those kids, and he’s going to prove it.

Icebox rallies the others, announcing that they’ll start their own team—coached by her dad. Danny’s not so sure, until Kevin lays down the rule: one town, one team. He challenges Danny to a playoff in two weeks. Winner gets to be the town’s team.

The squad needs more players, so Icebox and the crew recruit outcasts around town. At the grocery store, they spot a kid showing off an impressive arm by tossing toilet paper rolls. Icebox is thrown off because—wait for it—she also thinks he’s cute. Turns out he’s a great quarterback.

Word gets to Kevin, who goes to check it out… and winds up arrested for being a peeping tom.

Then a new kid moves to town—Spike. He’s massive. His dad calls Danny, thinking he’s Kevin, to say Spike wants to play. But Spike doesn’t fit in, Spike doesn’t like them, and Spike is basically the bad guy. Eventually, Spike’s dad pulls him from the team once he realizes they’re with Danny, which sparks a huge fight among the players.

All seems lost… until John Madden shows up—with four NFL players! Just the boost they need.

It’s game day. Right before kickoff, Kevin goads Danny into a bet: if Danny wins, he gets Kevin’s Chevrolet dealership; if Kevin wins, he gets Danny’s gas station.

The Giants fall behind 21 points by halftime. Spirits are low—until Danny gives a heartfelt speech. The team rallies, and with a last-second fumblerooski, they win the game!

Danny suggests that instead of the Giants replacing the Cowboys, they merge into one team so both brothers can coach. He also rekindles his childhood romance with Patty. And instead of holding Kevin to the dealership bet, Danny asks for just one thing: change the water tower. From “Home of Kevin O’Shea” to “Home of the O’Shea Brothers.” Promise fulfilled.