Two former powerhouses of football meet on the field 30 years after their heyday. Both teams, while generally inept, have somehow managed to compile perfect records against the other inept teams in their generally inept conference.One team plays well. The other stumbles. At the end, the inept team that was winning gives up a buttload of points to the inept team that was losing. This results in a tie.Almost all points are scored because of -- because of -- well, because of inept mistakes.A Harvard fan decides to create an inept film about this inept game and gives it the inept title Harvard Beats Yale.Outside of graduation day at the Hollywood division of the Betty Ford Clinic, never have so many minor talents had so much praise heaped on them simply for waking up and breathing.Watch this film if you like to hear people say, We tried hard; they tried hard; it broke my heart.Stay away if you like football, people who don't whine, or quality.This film gets two stars: One star because lots of eggheads got beat up that day; and one star because the voices in my head go quiet when I'm extremely bored.

I'm not interested in football, so I expected to be bored by this film. Moreover, 1968 was a year of spectacular events world wide, from human cultural evolution to political revolution, so why should some football game between two private elitist universities matter? But wow! -- what a riveting and unforgettable story! The story of the game is recalled by the players on both sides -- many of whom are highly articulate, interesting characters to watch. We get the "7-Up" effect (only the age jumps between, say, 21 and 56) where we can see in the older men the same distinct personality and character of the young men they are remembering. For example, we see Brian Dowling, the demigod-like undefeated Yale QB, remind the audience, with visible irritation, that the 29-29 game was not a defeat but a tie -- he's still attached to his undefeated status all those years later. It's hard to describe why the story of this one football game feels so archetypal and earth-shattering. I felt like I'd just seen a remake of the Trojan War, or something on that epic and mythic scale, where the warrior heroes are reflecting back on battlefield highlights. No exaggeration.

I don't know how the person in front of me is writing a bad review on this. This movie was hilarious and entertaining. I'm a football lover and even i wasn't excited about seeing this, until i saw how amazingly entertaining all of the characters are. You really get to see inside the minds of these players, and what it was like to be part of such a great game. The players are all very entertaining, (except Tommy Lee Jones) and some of them you love, some of them you hate. Great movie, great story, a great time. These players are funny, and quick to make fun of themselves and each other. I don't know how anyone could not love it. Maybe not great for girls, but anyone else is going to love it.

Saw this at T.I.F.F. last year. It takes about 20 minutes to get rolling as you become familiarized with the 'cast'. Surprisingly Tommy Jones is well down the list of interesting interviews. The context of the times and the great archive footage make this a must see for any football fan or for the Doonesbury culture of Ivy League academia. The quotes from the ex-players are often very funny. Director Rafferty was at the actual game but unlike his father and grandfather, not a Harvard football player. The director managed to get most of the key players in the game. Unfortunately Calvin Hill, the only black player on Harvard and perhaps the most successful in the NFL of those playing in that game declined to be interviewed. Still, this film is very entertaining, captivating and suspenseful (despite knowing the final score) with the final minutes of the game providing a fitting climax to the film.