Men with Brooms (2002)

Even those who know nothing about the somewhat bizarre-looking sport of curling -- it's kind of like darts but played on ice by sliding stones with handles and steering them with brooms -- will appreciate this ambitious and largely successful sports comedy. The over-the-top finale, which pits the good guys against the bad guys in a showdown of major magnitude, pulls out every cliché in the moviemakers' handbook and somehow makes them all whimsically fresh by piling them on. If the events at the end don't cause a lump in the throat and a small tear in the eye, then you're not paying attention. Writer/director/star Paul Gross acquits himself very well in each of his jobs by providing the main story with the necessary momentum to get through to the end in a hurry but also featuring several subplots that add warmth to the characters. Like the stones the men use in their contest, this zany tale slides effortlessly to the heart of its intended target. Men With Brooms is a farce, to be sure, but one with charm and dignity. Don't let unfamiliarity with curling keep you from checking this one out. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide