‘Sneakers’ With Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, and Joanna Robinson
October 14, 2025 · Sneakers (1992) · Comedy · Crime · Drama · 2:07:05 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Joanna RobinsonDiscusses multiple scenes including the Timothy Busfield/Eddie Jones scene and the Cosmo reveal, but doesn't give one clear pick▶ 38:11
Kyle BrandtDiscusses the 1969 pizza order scene and appreciates the young actors casting, but doesn't give a definitive pick▶ 36:28
Hall of Fame Plaque
Bill SimmonsRobert Redford as Hall of Fame eye narrower/squinter - his thinking phase when wheels are turning▶ 43:13
Kyle BrandtRobert Redford's gif-like eye expression change - does it all the way to the Hall of Fame▶ 43:35
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsJames Earl Jones — James Earl Jones - citing Field of Dreams, Sandlot, and this movie as his career peak period▶ 49:15
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsComputer hacker graphics and manipulating dating services for capers; movie ending with Republican National Committee bankruptcy and donations to Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and United Negro College Fund as very 1992▶ 55:17
Joanna RobinsonRobert Redford references throughout - Union College from The Way We Were, Martin Bishop name from Three Days of the Condor, jacket similar to The Natural making it 'Robert Redford fan fiction'; Mary McDonald's feathered hair; Bay Area 1992 details like Fox Theater location and finding street parking▶ 54:09
Kyle BrandtGene Siskel introducing the movie by naming Timothy Busfield from thirtysomething over Dan Aykroyd and Mary McDonnell; answering machine and car phone as major plot points▶ 56:35
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsBen Kingsley — Ben Kingsley - for his inconsistent accent choices, over-the-top performance treating it like Shakespeare when it's a lighthearted caper, and awkward running▶ 1:12:24
Joanna RobinsonBen Kingsley — Ben Kingsley - for playing to the rafters and being on a different project altogether, talking about his character like he's in Shakespeare▶ 1:12:04
Kyle BrandtBen Kingsley — Acknowledges Ben Kingsley's issues with running and accent inconsistencies but seems less critical overall of the performance▶ 1:13:49
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsKevin Costner — Agrees Costner would be really good in the role but thinks it's an important Redford catalog movie that he needs▶ 1:17:54
Joanna RobinsonKevin Costner — States there are no casting what-ifs for this movie because everyone wanted to work with Redford, but acknowledges Costner would have been great while preferring Redford did the movie▶ 1:17:10
Kyle BrandtKevin Costner — Kevin Costner in the lead role instead of Redford, with Willem Dafoe as Cosmo to reunite the cast from another film▶ 1:17:30
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Joanna RobinsonThis is Redford's best film of the nineties and his last great movie (barring Marvel films)▶ 1:21:00
Kyle BrandtMarty Bishop's slow walk across Cosmo's office is more impressive than anything Ethan Hunt did in Mission Impossible▶ 1:21:37
Den of Thieves Benihana Award
Bill SimmonsAgrees with San Francisco - acknowledged it translates better in movies than Boston despite their rivalry, citing distinct landmarks and visual appeal▶ 1:29:34
Joanna RobinsonAgrees with San Francisco - noted they're from the Bay Area and emphasized the external shots, cable cars, and how it feels authentically like the Bay Area▶ 1:29:05
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsMovie ceiling vents are unrealistically clean and spacious vs real life. Marty never verified Cosmo was actually dead. Cosmo's unclear motivations. Redford and Mary McDonnell have identical feathered haircuts▶ 1:38:44
Joanna RobinsonDid they need Warner Brandes voice passport if River Phoenix could get through ceiling vents? Cosmo's character inconsistencies - wants socialist utopia but has expensive lifestyle and threatens people▶ 1:38:19
Kyle BrandtReal ceiling vents are tiny (8x8 inches) unlike movies. Mary McDonnell's computer dating line blows their perfect heist. Sidney Poitier only asks for airfare to Europe/Tahiti but not hotel accommodations▶ 1:39:09
Is This Movie Better With
Kyle BrandtScott Hanson — None of the above, but Scott Hanson in the surveillance truck monitoring the action like NFL RedZone▶ 1:45:15
Just One Oscar
Kyle BrandtJames Horner — James Horner for the score (after initially considering Mary McDonald for acting)▶ 1:48:08
Best Double Feature
Kyle BrandtWarGames — Sneakers paired with War Games - 'War games' and 'Patriot games. Tom Clancy, Harrison Ford and Robert Redford in one day. Technology, spying and stuff.'▶ 1:59:34
Movies Referenced (70)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field of Dreams (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | ▶ 30:34 |
| Chinatown (1974) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson | ▶ 1:05:33 |
| All the President's Men (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:24:00 |
| Basic Instinct (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:25:41 |
| Conspiracy Theory (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Joanna Robinson | ▶ 59:33 |
| Good Time (2017) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:14:53 |
| Groundhog Day (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:25:42 |
| Joker (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Kyle Brandt | ▶ 14:53 |
| Magnolia (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Joanna Robinson | ▶ 1:36:57 |
| My Own Private Idaho (1991) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson | ▶ 12:18 |
| Ocean's Eleven (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson | ▶ 2:01:40 |
| One Battle After Another (2025) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Joanna Robinson | ▶ 44:27 |
Directors Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Alden Robinson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Field of Dreams, Sneakers, The Sum of All Fears | ▶ 30:34 |
| Steven Spielberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan | ▶ 13:34 |
| Kevin Costner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | ▶ 1:16:32 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 35:41 |
| Claiborne Lashley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Kyle Brandt | ▶ 22:27 | |
| Earl Jones | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 49:08 | |
| Tim Burton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Joanna Robinson | Edward Scissorhands | ▶ 1:03:08 |
Actors Referenced (87)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Redford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 80 | Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt | The Natural, Ordinary People, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid | ▶ 0:59 |
| Ben Kingsley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 44 | Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Gandhi, Schindler's List | ▶ 4:10 |
| River Phoenix | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 27 | Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt | My Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me, The Mosquito Coast | ▶ 4:10 |
| James Earl Jones | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Field of Dreams | ▶ 4:16 |
| Sidney Poitier | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt | Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night | ▶ 12:38 |
| Dan Aykroyd | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons | Ghostbusters | ▶ 4:10 |
| David Strathairn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson | Lincoln, Godzilla | ▶ 21:35 |
| Mary McDonald | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons | ▶ 27:59 | |
| James Horner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt | Avatar, Titanic | ▶ 34:27 |
| Martin Bishop | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons | Wonder Woman | ▶ 20:16 |
| Timothy Busfield | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson | Field of Dreams | ▶ 37:30 |
| Bob Cousy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Blue Chips | ▶ 1:16:40 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | ▶ 24:27 | |
| Richard Nixon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Joanna Robinson | ▶ 44:39 | |
| John Sayles | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 22:59 | |
| Tom Clancy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Kyle Brandt | The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger | ▶ 1:59:36 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry Ackroyd | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt | The Hurt Locker, Captain Phillips, United 93 | ▶ 20:34 |
| Christophe Legal | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Joanna Robinson | ▶ 27:42 |