FredGailey Review of One Special Victory

One Special Victory (1991 TV Movie)

One Special Movie (if not Cliché)

[6/10 · 25 January 2009]

'One Special Victory '(1991) w/ John Larroquette from 'Night Court' is a NBC made for TV movie, and although TV movies were for the most part heavy handed tear jerker melodramas this is a rare instance where the subject is light and humorous. This was originally aired during the 1991 holiday season, alongside a few other well produced Xmas themed TV movies that are worth watching: namely 'Yes, Virginia There Is A Santa Claus' that starred Charles Bronson and 'Christmas On Division Street' starring Fred Savage. 'One Special Victory' is one of those movies that takes place at Xmas but the story is not directly related to the season itself. In other words - a few well placed Xmas trees in the background were enough for the network to warrant it a yuletide movie and promote it as such but I don't think Xmas is even mentioned - like I said you wouldn't know it was even a holiday movie if it weren't for the strategically placed Xmas decorations that are visible. Oddly enough, in the TV Guide ads promoting it John Larroquette is wearing a Santa hat giving the impression that the movie revolves around an Xmas plot. Its never been released on VHS/DVD as most made for TV movies aren't but it occasionally pops up on Lifetime/Lifetime Movie Network. It is a good little movie nonetheless, although it suffers from 2 overused clichéd themes, the first being basically a different sort of spin on a Christmas Carol type story and the other is the whole "teacher radically impacts students' lives and vise versa" theme being that the storyline is as follows: Larroquette plays the self absorbed jerk (much like his character Dan on Night Court sans the sex obsession) but by coaching a mentally challenged adult basketball team, as a result of a community service sentence, he sees the error of his ways. A little cliché? Yes, but the handicap adults gives it a different, if not fresh, angle and though as I said the whole Scroogeesque theme has been exhausted on the big and silver screen, this movie is better than most holiday fare being produced today. Larroquette is great in his role as are the rest of the supporting cast who are very convincing in their parts, however, my only complaint is with Kathy Baker - she is also terrific in her role but in the end she doesn't really convey to the the audience that shes fallen in love with Larroquette and ***SPOILER***** their kiss at the end seems very forced although they lack chemistry throughout - which really doesn't matter as their "relationship" or lack thereof is a secondary subplot. Otherwise, its a great little movie that is the equivalent of comfort food. Not too heavy to digest, but not too sappy either, just very enjoyable and from an era where TV movies reigned but are for the most part now extinct.