BLUE CHIPS

Nick Nolte, Mary McDonnell, Ed O’Neill, J.T. Walsh,

Alfre Woodward, Shaquille O’Neal

Paramount Pictures; Directed by William Friedkin

Rated PG-13; 108 minutes; 1994

Nolte studied with Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight for his role as Coach Pete Bell of the Western University Dolphins, a former championship basketball team that is struggling to get back to the top. While rushing to get the hottest stars of the game (Shaquille O'Neal, Anfernee Hardaway, Matt Nover) he wrestles with his inner doubts about ethical issues of athletic funding to get the sharpest players. Bell is incapable of cheating, but the pressure is on for him to do whatever necessary to win.