A League of Ordinary Gentlemen

Over the years bowling has become the Rodney Dangerfield of sports, shunned by anyone with a shred of social pretense. Yet for many years it was not only one of the most cherished of American family activities, but also a popular television event, with Professional Bowlers Association matches broadcast nationally from 1962 to 1997. A League of Ordinary Gentlemen—a straightforward but enjoyable documentary—covers the vicissitudes of the sport's history (including footage of unlikely players, such as Richard Nixon in ridiculously inappropriate clothes), while also recounting recent efforts to resuscitate interest. The PBA was purchased by a trio of ex-Microsoft millionaires who promptly hired a gruff ex-Nike executive to pump up popularity and (more important) profitability, and most of the running time here is devoted to his efforts to increase the visual razzmatazz and player “attitude,” culminating in a recounting of the 2003 tour and exciting championship match, telecast on ESPN. While providing a nice (although obviously “male”—see title) overview of bowling's changing role in American culture and an insightful picture of the capitalist mentality that drives the sports industry today, the film doesn't convince us that this innately sedate, deliberately-paced pastime will rejoin the pantheon of big-moneymaking sports in an age that exalts trash-talk and mLlJes. But as an affectionate and rather sweet nostalgia trip, this is recommended. [Note: DVD extras include five deleted scenes (17 min.), the five-minute featurette “Dexter Approach: Tips and Techniques,” four minutes of “PBA Event Clips,” two minutes of PBA/ESPN TV spots, two minutes of “Skills Challenge Highlights” featuring clips of pros doing tricks (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a small but solid extras package for a decent doc.] (F. Swietek)