‘School Ties’ With Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, and Mallory Rubin
August 8, 2022 · School Ties (1992) · Drama · 1:51:37
Categories
Hall of Fame Plaque
Bill SimmonsAcknowledges the non-Jewish actors playing Jewish roles discussion but focuses more on the broader cultural impact of the film as an important anti-Semitism movie and its contribution to the teen movie canon▶ 9:06
Mallory RubinDiscusses non-Jews playing Jews Hall of Fame, mentioning Daniel Craig in Munich and Oscar Isaac in Moon Knight/Scenes from a Marriage as examples, with Brendan Fraser as David Green fitting this category▶ 6:43
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including the Smokey Joe Cafe scene, the first football game win against Winchester, and the Damon-Fraser dock conversation scene▶ 30:40
Mallory RubinAgrees with the Smokey Joe Cafe scene and considers the dock conversation scene as potentially the best scene of the movie, though not necessarily most rewatchable▶ 34:54
Apex Mountain
Mallory RubinEastern Promises — Eastern Promises remains top spot for Viggo Mortensen, difficult to beat▶ 41:42
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsEd Lauder as Brendan Fraser's dad not showing up to the St. Luke's game - should have gotten off work for his kid's biggest football game▶ 58:54
Mallory RubinFranklin Benson being 98 years old in 1955 (born 1875) and still alive when life expectancy was in the 60s▶ 58:02
Big Kahuna Burger Award
Bill SimmonsPossibly the shot they give Matt Damon, but expressed uncertainty about having a pick▶ 1:06:27
Mallory RubinMagoo's fruit in the 'excuse me, there's no salt on this table, I need salt for my fruit' sequence▶ 1:06:32
Ron Burgundy Flute Award
Bill SimmonsMcGiv's meltdown sequence - as soon as you know McGiv's about to meltdown, great time to go make some popcorn▶ 1:08:28
Mallory RubinThe Cleary car prank sequence - exactly two minutes long, feels like it's from a completely different movie▶ 1:08:41
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsThe poorly filmed football scenes, specifically citing the 120-yard throw in the first football game▶ 1:13:20
Mallory RubinHow they film the football scenes - stationary cameras, no sense of field position or downs, unrealistic gameplay▶ 1:12:08
Is There a Better Title?
Bill SimmonsKeep 'School Ties' - proposed 'Honor Code' and 'Star of David' as alternatives but concluded School Ties is still the best▶ 1:13:55
Mallory RubinKeep 'School Ties' - called it 'Pantheon iconic title' and 'flawless' with 'no notes'▶ 1:13:33
Teddy KGB Award
Bill SimmonsJohn McGiver — McGivern for his performance with the sunglasses and overcoat, calling it a concerted attempt to make him weird that doesn't work▶ 1:18:20
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsTwo related takes: 1) Charlie Dillon's cheating is okay - everyone takes liberties in high school, and 2) David Green shouldn't have gone after Sally since Charlie was in love with her and David already took his quarterback job▶ 1:20:50
Mallory RubinThe coward scene is not that good - it's too short, rushed, and contributes very little to the movie▶ 1:18:40
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsKyle Chandler — Presents casting alternatives from Entertainment Weekly oral history: Kyle Chandler, Matthew Perry, Noel Wiley auditioned for David Green; Chris O'Donnell was considered for Charlie Dillon but wanted a more likable role▶ 1:23:25
Mallory RubinKyle Chandler — Kyle Chandler as David Green would be 'almost too much to bear' and 'a brain breaker' - expressing strong positive reaction to this casting what-if▶ 1:24:27
Overacting Award
Mallory RubinMichael Higgins — Suggested Michael Higgins (History Professor in rapid fire quiz sequence)▶ 1:25:20
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsBen Affleck — Ben Affleck - doesn't have many lines (maybe eight), but stands out, gets shirtless▶ 1:26:49
Mallory RubinBen Affleck — Ben Affleck - agrees, specifically mentions the Smokey Joe's cafe scene wouldn't be the same without him shirtless▶ 1:27:03
Best Double Feature
Bill SimmonsGood Will Hunting — Endorses Good Will Hunting pairing - 'I think that's the best one'▶ 1:43:59
Mallory RubinLiberty Heights — Liberty Heights - calling it 'the other foundational Jewish movie that everybody fucking loves'▶ 1:42:41
Mallory RubinGood Will Hunting — Good Will Hunting - considered Dead Poets Society but chose Good Will Hunting as a back-to-back pairing▶ 1:43:44
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Bill SimmonsMaybe think about your own feelings about prejudice before you become prejudicial▶ 1:45:22
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsBrendan Fraser — Brendan Fraser - argued he's never been more likable or better, and the movie doesn't work without his performance▶ 1:46:55
Movies Referenced (34)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Will Hunting (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 2:53 |
| Scent of a Woman (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:45 |
| Munich (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Mallory Rubin | ▶ 6:51 |
| Batman (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 19:30 |
| Eastern Promises (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 41:39 |
| Dazed and Confused (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:26:34 |
| Dead Poets Society (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 5:39 |
| Rushmore (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:42:52 |
| Identity (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Mallory Rubin | ▶ 4:17 |
| Set It Up (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 40:44 |
| American Graffiti (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:11 |
| Basic Instinct (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:11:46 |
Directors Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Affleck | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 19 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Argo, Gone Girl, The Town | ▶ 2:39 |
| Anson Jew | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | Wonder Woman | ▶ 40:26 |
| George Clooney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | The Ides of March, Michael Clayton | ▶ 22:36 |
| Robert Mandel | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | School Ties | ▶ 1:12:52 |
| Walt Frasier | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 2:39 | |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 5:17 |
| Woody Allen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Mallory Rubin | Annie Hall | ▶ 1:43:11 |
Actors Referenced (51)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Damon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 64 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed | ▶ 2:39 |
| Brendan Fraser | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 34 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | The Mummy, Crash | ▶ 2:12 |
| Chris O'Donnell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 29 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Scent of a Woman | ▶ 2:49 |
| Cole Hauser | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Dazed and Confused, Good Will Hunting | ▶ 2:57 |
| Robin Williams | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Mrs. Doubtfire | ▶ 5:41 |
| Kyle Chandler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Argo, Manchester by the Sea, Super 8 | ▶ 1:23:42 |
| Magoo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 43:41 | |
| Robert Sean Leonard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mallory Rubin | Dead Poets Society, The Age of Innocence | ▶ 26:54 |
| Reese Witherspoon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Mallory Rubin | Walk the Line, Legally Blonde | ▶ 46:32 |
| The Game | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | Street Kings, The A-Team, Coach Carter | ▶ 35:51 |
| Anthony Rapp | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Dazed and Confused, A Beautiful Mind | ▶ 43:45 |
| Antonio Gates | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:50:34 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dick Wolf | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:34 | |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 27:20 | |
| Jon Favreau | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Chef, Iron Man, Swingers | ▶ 26:34 |
| Thorne Smith | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Mallory Rubin | ▶ 1:27:35 |