Amazon.com reviews for
Alley Cats Strike (2000) (TV)

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Alley Cats Strike (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Don't underestimate Disney's made-for-TV movie Alley Cats Strike! Never mind that the plot is familiar--the one where everything hinges on a school's championship game. As soon as we meet the film's protagonists--four friends who love bowling and swing music--the story charms us with its fresh spin, solid acting, and lively soundtrack. Alex Thompson (Kyle Schmid) is West Appleton Junior High School's infamous geek. Forever clad in retro bowling wear, Alex is happiest hanging out with pals Elisa, Delia, and Ken at his dad's bowling alley. All is right with Alex's world until it collides with the school's big man on campus, Todd McLemore (Robert Ri'chard). Todd is West Appleton's hero--the school's all-star sports champion whose arrogance is as finely tuned as his 3-point shot. None of this matters to Alex until their school's basketball team fails to clinch the town's coveted award, the Apple Trophy. Officials decide that the tiebreaker between rival schools will be determined in the bowling alley where both schools pit their bowling teams against each other in a high-stakes competition. Suddenly, Alex and Todd find themselves as unlikely teammates called Alley Cats. As their bowling scores gradually improve, so does the friendship, though not without a few gutter ball experiences. While the film's moral lessons may be predictable (winning isn't everything; differences exist only on the outside; loyalty is better than popularity), it delivers wholesome family fun and a better-than-expected surprise ending. Kudos to a film that is void of profanity, sexual innuendo, and imitative behavior. Better still, fathers are portrayed as healthy role models, kids are content to act their age, and adolescent parties don't include drugs and alcohol. --Lynn Gibson