Hoovey (2015) User Reviews (12)

BACK TO NORMAL

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 7 May 2019]

This film is based on the life of Eric "Hoovy" Elliot (Cody Linley) and family. Hoovy loved to play basketball and was hoping to play at the college level when he became ill. After an MRI, "It's a tumor." (Feel free to use your Arnold voice) Hoovey's days were over and the farm was in financial trouble. Hoovey manages to overcome which they credit to faith and at no time the skilled neurosurgeon who operated on him.

The film is meant to be inspirational, and repeats the lesson of Job a few times. A transfer student from Atlanta (Brandon Mychal Smith) provides some minor internal conflict. The acting is passable. While the film was designed to be emotional and heart felt, it wasn't over powering.

Likable Cast & Story

[koltonbrett · 7/10 · 23 April 2022]

Hoovey is a sweet, feel-good inspirational drama that's full of heart and is easy to like. It's based on the true story of a talented high school basketball player who discovers he has a dangerous brain tumor after collapsing on the court. This isn't so much a story about someone's journey with an illness. It's more of a comeback story from that illness. Dealing with new physical struggles and the possible loss of his big basketball dreams, Hoovey relies on his faith and family to carry him through the storm. Hoovey is a fighter. His whole family are fighters as they work together to overcome the new financial and emotional burdens that arise in the aftermath of the tumor discovery. Given the surprising amount of Disney Channel stars in this cast, this movie felt at times like a deeper Disney Channel movie. It's very family friendly and is full of very likable characters that seem a little too perfect to be true. Cody Linley is like that cool, goofy kid with a smile that brightens up the room and you can't help but like him and the character he plays. Many will enjoy this movie simply for the cast whom they've enjoyed in other projects. With some touching moments and even a little bit of sweet romance, this is a true story worth checking out through this film.

Stuck in a vacuum cleaner

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 15 September 2018]

The preaching and the overt evangelizing is kept to a minimum in the film. This is the story of how young basketball protege Cody Linley who after collapsing during a game is discovered to have a brain tumor the size of an orange.

Young Linley was saddled with the nickname Hoovey after as a toddler he got his arm sucked and stuck in a vacuum cleaner. Father Patrick Warburton is a farmer and fireman and mother Alyssa Stoner are a hard working church going couple and their faith helps see them through.

Two other performances of note are Charles Robinson as Linley's high school coach and Brandon Mychal Smith as another basketball prodigy on the team who fears that Linley's handicap will kick in at the wrong time and mess things up for him.

Hoovey is a nice story that can be shown in more places than Christian movie nights.

Decent faith-based movie based on a true story

[ealrussell · 7/10 · 22 January 2024]

I liked it. Is it a great movie? No. Some heavy handed music overlays were more distracting than evocative and one could see the ending coming... But it was heartfelt and true.

Yes, it is a faith based movie, so if that alone will rub you the wrong way, give it a pass. (I felt some reviewers were unnecessarily harsh based on the faith aspect vs the content itself.) But if you are a person of faith or open to looking to a power greater than you when the odds are against you (both father and son are filled with self-doubt), I think you will like it.

"It is not what happens to you, it is what you do with it" Eric Elliot.

Sappy, religious after school special.

[lakegrovefc · 3/10 · 24 November 2016]

Somehow this movie garnered 4 stars on Netflix and is based on a true story so I decided to give it a try. It has the quality of a made for TV hallmark special. The writing was very weak and the acting was made for TV quality. Some familiar actors are present but the movie is very cheesy with its message of just have faith in God and everything will be fine. They are beyond bankrupted, about lose the farm, literally, and he buys his 18year old daughter a new used car. Ridiculous.

Somehow at the end Hoovey wins the game with a 4 point play, and Mom goes on to become a motivational speaker supposedly gaining financial independence selling supplements. She was a housewife who's husband would not let her work while he worked three jobs. I think this movie was very loosely based on a true story. High school basketball player with brain tumor and housewife turned motivational speaking con artist were likely the truth, but not much else. I wonder where these people are today. My recommendation, skip it.

Is that truly a movie!!!?

[lamr · 1/10 · 30 September 2016]

The movie seems to be more of a Sunday sermon rather than a work of art. It perfectly fits the intentions of preaching the almighty will of god to the infidel and the shaky ones. It replaces the human will, that is normally filled in with many various sources including the belief in super beings with the inevitable and only one source of strength people can get from their gospels' clerics As the movie synopsis goes: "Life can change in an instant, and turn your whole world upside down. And as the preacher would tell: It's all god's will" So that's what happens to the living American dream that is the Midwestern firefighter Jeff Elliott and his wife who live with their beautiful, healthy children, family farm, horses, sports, church groups, and all other typical components of that dream. One day though their terrific teenage son Eric "Hoovey" Elliott collapses and is rushed to the hospital, where doctors find a tumor as big as an orange in his brain. This life threatening operation renders Hoovey short of many key capabilities, yet what keeps him going is the faith he has in God not the power of will that would normally be available both for religious and non religious ones

Wonderful, True Story!

[melanders78 · 10/10 · 8 September 2018]

It's amazing what God can do! It's an uplifting movie that proves no matter what we face in life we can make it through because God is with us every step of the way.

TOO DRAMATIC!

[sreeragmeppadath · 3/10 · 19 March 2019]

The biggest flaw is that the movie is totally predictable till last.My question is 'What was this movie made for'?If it's for inspiration we have masterpieces like Theory of Everything.Only difference is that on this movie,the family praises god even if they sneeze.I can't understand why such a movie was made.

Very inspirational

[nymets-16152 · 9/10 · 20 August 2023]

Whether you are religious or not this is a great inspirational movie of someone overcoming tragic circumstances. The movie should inspire people that are going through tough times themselves that there is hope and that good things can happen from tragedy. The movie is a true story that shows if you never give up and fight for your dreams you can overcome some of the worst situations .Life will always have some difficult times but the important thing is that you never give up and fight through them . It will make a better and stronger person in the end . Each trial was a challenge and faced as an opportunity to rise up and meet .

Just another Bible propaganda...

[vstourinho · 1/10 · 27 August 2019]

...disguised as a movie. Wasted 2 hours of my life, don't make the same mistake.

You've Seen This Story In Several Other Forms

[rdg45 · 5/10 · 26 August 2018]

A feel-good story of an athlete overcoming adversity to succeed when it appeared that it might be impossible. Based on a true story, but probably embellished for the purpose of theatrics which, in this case, works to provide the emotional kick wanted by the book on which the story is based.

Great Movie that Inspires Right Thinking

[jaf-27960 · 8/10 · 3 July 2015]

Though some of the sports scenes are not as convincing, the story line, interactions and dialog are. This based-on-a-true-story movie takes you on quite a journey that is safe and entertaining for the whole family. It will also challenge you to think more carefully about your life and inspire you to look for, and trust, how providence is working out the direst of circumstances in your, and your family's, life. This movie may not be 100% 'Hollywood quality', but it is very close. The acting, cinematography and screenplay is excellent. Only some of the sports scenes could have used a bit more authenticity, but it is easily overlooked because of the excellence throughout the rest of the movie. Well worth the watch and the purchase!!