MVP: Most Valuable Primate

MVP: Most Valuable Primate
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Robert Vince
Written by	Anne Vince Robert Vince
Produced by	Ian Fodie Michael Strange Robert Vince Anne Vince
Starring	Kevin Zegers Jamie Renée Smith Oliver Muirhead Rick Ducommun
Cinematography	Glen Winter
Edited by	Kelly Herron
Music by	Brian 'Hoot' Gibson Brahm Wenger
Production company	Keystone Family Pictures
Distributed by	Keystone Releasing
Release date	October 20, 2000(2000-10-20)
Running time	93 minutes
Countries	Canada United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.2 million

MVP: Most Valuable Primateis a 2000comedy filmthat sparked theMVPtrilogy. The film is about a chimpanzee, Jack, who plays hockey.

Plot

The plot revolves around an ape playing sports. Jack, a three-year-oldchimpanzee,is the subject of an experiment involvingsign languageperformed by Dr. Kendall at San Pueblo University inSan Diego, California.One day however, Dr. Kendall loses funding for his research. Kendall arranges for Jack to return to his original home in a Californianature preserve,but dies from aheart attackbefore the transaction is completed and Kendall's boss, Dr. Peabody, sells Jack to theUniversity of Tennessee.Meanwhile, the Westover family has just moved toNelson, British Columbia.Steven, the son, was the leading scorer on his high school hockey team in California and joins the local junior B team, the Nuggets; he is surprised, however, by the violence of the play and the apathy of his teammates to their constant losing. His sister, Tara, who is deaf, is having a hard time making friends at her new school.

Meanwhile, hearing rumors that the University of Tennessee is performinghepatitistests on primates, Darren, a maintenance worker at San Pueblo, arranges for Jack to return to the nature preserve as originally planned, but Jack falls asleep on the train and ends up in Nelson instead. Jack finds shelter in Tara's tree house but ends up surprising Tara when she enters, causing her to faint; when Tara wakes up she learns he can use sign language. She attempts to hide Jack from her parents and Steven but is unsuccessful. Steven soon discovers that Jack has an uncanny ability to play the sport ofice hockeyand Jack joins Steven on the Nuggets after the coach convinces the league's owners that a chimpanzee player would bring in a massive increase in ticket sales. Jack instantly brings the Nuggets on-ice success and also helps Tara to become closer to her classmates.

Eventually, the Nuggets become the champions of junior B, qualifying for the Harvest Cup final inVancouveragainst the Calgary Polar Bears. During the game, Peabody appears at the arena, hoping to take Jack from the team; the team refuses to give him up, so Peabody makes a plan to take him after the game. Tara is able to figure out Peabody's plan, and alerts Steven and the team; Steven takes Jack away from the arena during the second intermission in order to send him home to the nature preserve, and Tara, being a similar size to Jack, puts on Jack's gear and jersey, ends up scoring the game-winning goal and stops Peabody from taking Jack, who makes his way to the preserve, where he reunites with Darren and his parents.

Cast

• Russell Ferrier as Darren
• Lomax Study as Dr. Kendall
• Kevin Zegersas Steven Westover
• Jamie Renée Smithas Tara Westover
• Alexa Fox as Jane
• Jane Sowerby as Julie Beston
• Ingrid Tesch as Susie Westover
• Philip Granger as Mark Westover
• Rick Ducommunas Coach Marlow
• Bernie, Mack, and Louie as Jack
• Oliver Muirheadas Dr. Peabody

Development

The film was originally produced by Keystone withWalt Disney Pictures,but Disney left the project after deeming the film as "strictly for the vid shelf".

Release

The film was released theatrically in the United States and Canada on October 20, 2000 by Keystone Releasing. It was released on VHS and DVD in the United States and Canada on January 23, 2001, byWarner Home Video.Some international rights were sold toUniversal Studios Home VideoandBuena Vista Home Entertainment.

Reception

The film received negative reviews. OnRotten Tomatoesthe film has an approval rating of 20% based on reviews from five critics.

Sequels

The film generated one theater-released sequel and onedirect-to-videosequel. In each film, Jack learns to play a different sport. These areMVP 2: Most Vertical Primate(2001) andMXP: Most Xtreme Primate(2004). WhileMVP 2gained a theatrical release as with its predecessor,MXPwas releasedstraight-to-video.

See also

• List of films about ice hockey

External links

• MVP: Most Valuable PrimateatIMDb
• MVP: Most Valuable PrimateatAllMovie
• MVP: MOST VALUABLE PRIMATE - Official MovieonYouTube