This is a review of the movie Fast Break
Gabe Kaplan, better known as Mr. Kotter from Welcome Back Kotter, went through a run of popularity in the 1970s. Most of his performances and characters were memorable, but one of the funnier ones was a coach in Fast Break.
Fast Break tells the story of Kaplan as a New York city man who finally gets a break to coach a college team. He works at a deli and one day a booster for a small college in Nevada comes to offer him a position. He accepts and the movie kicks off.
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The team is a collection of misfit players Kaplan has had his eye on around the city. Each of the players has a back story and are sorely out of place in the small Nevada town.
Why You’ll Like this Movie
- Comedy – There are a number of really funny scenes involving a character named Swish and the teammates. I cannot ruin them, but it really makes the movie.
- Kaplan – Such an accomplished comedian, Kaplan knew how to take the material and make it better. He adds the right amount of flourish to make his character stand out among those around him.
The movie suffers from the same “wrap it up quickly” syndrome that many movies in the late 1970s have. With characters seemingly defaulting to moves you expect, it tries to get away fast. Kaplan, to his credit, keeps the movie together and the end isn’t that painful.