Reception
Necessary Roughness was largely panned by critics. The film earned a "Rotten" rating of 27% at "Rotten Tomatoes" (60% or better earns a film a "Fresh" rating). One film summary stated "A bad attempt at making a football version of Major League." Sports Illustrated, in a criticism of sports movies in general, stated that "Kathy Ireland is probably the best thing in this laugh-a-quarter film".
Roger Ebert wrote a more positive review, giving the film three stars. Ebert stated the film did do a good job of poking fun at some serious problems within college football, such as recruiting superstar players who lack the academic skills to be college undergraduates, colleges mollycoddling athletes through ridiculously easy classes, i.e. "rocks for jocks", and alumni giving payoffs to college players. Ebert's says it is good to see a college being forced to use genuine students for its football team and anticorruption practices which prevent the aforementioned favoritism and big money.
It is now regarded as a cult classic.
Read more about this topic: Necessary Roughness (film)
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