Review of Slap Shot (1977) by Dan Epstein for Rolling Stone — 29 Nov 2003

Rowdy, raunchy, hilarious, absurd, deeply depressing and profoundly human – often all at the same time – Slap Shot is refreshingly devoid of phony uplift or showy monologues. There's no jerking of tears or pulling of heartstrings, no big lessons to be learned beyond the harsh reminder that sports is a business; the passion of its fans and the heroics of its players are ultimately less important than the clang of the cash register.

It's the rare combination of both team-spirit uplift and period-appropriate downer.