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‘Sneakers’ With Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, and Joanna Robinson

October 14, 2025 · Sneakers (1992) · Comedy · Crime · Drama · 2:07:05

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 37:24The bad guys find Marty (allegedly an NSA agent scene with Timothy Busfield)
Joanna Robinson▶ 38:11Discusses multiple scenes including the Timothy Busfield/Eddie Jones scene and the Cosmo reveal, but doesn't give one clear pick
Kyle Brandt▶ 36:28Discusses the 1969 pizza order scene and appreciates the young actors casting, but doesn't give a definitive pick

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Joanna Robinson▶ 42:18What is Cosmo's plan exactly?

Hall of Fame Plaque

Bill Simmons▶ 43:13Robert Redford as Hall of Fame eye narrower/squinter - his thinking phase when wheels are turning
Kyle Brandt▶ 43:35Robert Redford's gif-like eye expression change - does it all the way to the Hall of Fame

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 49:15James Earl Jones — James Earl Jones - citing Field of Dreams, Sandlot, and this movie as his career peak period

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 55:17Computer hacker graphics and manipulating dating services for capers; movie ending with Republican National Committee bankruptcy and donations to Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and United Negro College Fund as very 1992
Joanna Robinson▶ 54:09Robert Redford references throughout - Union College from The Way We Were, Martin Bishop name from Three Days of the Condor, jacket similar to The Natural making it 'Robert Redford fan fiction'; Mary McDonald's feathered hair; Bay Area 1992 details like Fox Theater location and finding street parking
Kyle Brandt▶ 56:35Gene Siskel introducing the movie by naming Timothy Busfield from thirtysomething over Dan Aykroyd and Mary McDonnell; answering machine and car phone as major plot points

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:52Ben Kingsley as the weak link
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:09:42Ben Kingsley - he's in a different movie altogether
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:08:48The black box - doesn't understand how it works or the technology behind it

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:24Ben Kingsley — Ben Kingsley - for his inconsistent accent choices, over-the-top performance treating it like Shakespeare when it's a lighthearted caper, and awkward running
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:12:04Ben Kingsley — Ben Kingsley - for playing to the rafters and being on a different project altogether, talking about his character like he's in Shakespeare
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:13:49Ben Kingsley — Acknowledges Ben Kingsley's issues with running and accent inconsistencies but seems less critical overall of the performance

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:54Kevin Costner — Agrees Costner would be really good in the role but thinks it's an important Redford catalog movie that he needs
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:17:10Kevin Costner — States there are no casting what-ifs for this movie because everyone wanted to work with Redford, but acknowledges Costner would have been great while preferring Redford did the movie
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:17:30Kevin Costner — Kevin Costner in the lead role instead of Redford, with Willem Dafoe as Cosmo to reunite the cast from another film

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:05This might be Redford's most popular movie in 2025 among people under 40
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:21:00This is Redford's best film of the nineties and his last great movie (barring Marvel films)
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:21:37Marty Bishop's slow walk across Cosmo's office is more impressive than anything Ethan Hunt did in Mission Impossible

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:34Agrees with San Francisco - acknowledged it translates better in movies than Boston despite their rivalry, citing distinct landmarks and visual appeal
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:29:05Agrees with San Francisco - noted they're from the Bay Area and emphasized the external shots, cable cars, and how it feels authentically like the Bay Area

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:38:44Movie ceiling vents are unrealistically clean and spacious vs real life. Marty never verified Cosmo was actually dead. Cosmo's unclear motivations. Redford and Mary McDonnell have identical feathered haircuts
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:38:19Did they need Warner Brandes voice passport if River Phoenix could get through ceiling vents? Cosmo's character inconsistencies - wants socialist utopia but has expensive lifestyle and threatens people
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:39:09Real ceiling vents are tiny (8x8 inches) unlike movies. Mary McDonnell's computer dating line blows their perfect heist. Sidney Poitier only asks for airfare to Europe/Tahiti but not hotel accommodations

Is This Movie Better With

Kyle Brandt▶ 1:45:15Scott Hanson — None of the above, but Scott Hanson in the surveillance truck monitoring the action like NFL RedZone

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:47:56James Horner — James Horner for the score
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:48:08James Horner — James Horner for the score (after initially considering Mary McDonald for acting)

Best Double Feature

Kyle Brandt▶ 1:59:34WarGames — Sneakers paired with War Games - 'War games' and 'Patriot games. Tom Clancy, Harrison Ford and Robert Redford in one day. Technology, spying and stuff.'

Movies Referenced (75)

Field of Dreams (1989)

12 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 30:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tin Cup (1996)

5 mentions · Joanna Robinson▶ 33:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blue Chips (1994)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Grand Canyon (1991)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 18:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Indecent Proposal (1993)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt▶ 27:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

All the President's Men (1976)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:25:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Captain America (1990)

2 mentions · Joanna Robinson▶ 1:23:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Groundhog Day (1993)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:25:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joker (2019)

2 mentions · Kyle Brandt▶ 14:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Magnolia (1999)

2 mentions · Joanna Robinson▶ 1:36:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

My Own Private Idaho (1991)

2 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson▶ 12:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (7)

Phil Alden Robinson

11 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Field of Dreams, Sneakers, The Sum of All Fears▶ 30:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steven Spielberg

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 13:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

4 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 1:16:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 35:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Claiborne Lashley

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt▶ 22:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Earl Jones

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Holes▶ 49:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tim Burton

1 mentions · Joanna Robinson · Known for Edward Scissorhands▶ 1:03:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (87)

Robert Redford

80 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt · Known for The Natural, Ordinary People, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid▶ 0:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Kingsley

44 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Sexy Beast, Gandhi, Schindler's List▶ 4:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

River Phoenix

27 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt · Known for My Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me, The Mosquito Coast▶ 4:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Earl Jones

17 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Field of Dreams▶ 4:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sidney Poitier

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt · Known for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night▶ 12:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dan Aykroyd

13 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons · Known for Ghostbusters▶ 4:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Strathairn

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson · Known for Lincoln, Godzilla▶ 21:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mary McDonald

11 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons▶ 27:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Horner

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt · Known for Avatar, Titanic▶ 34:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Bishop

7 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons · Known for Wonder Woman▶ 20:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Timothy Busfield

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson · Known for Field of Dreams▶ 37:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bob Cousy

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Celtic Pride, Blue Chips▶ 1:16:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Roger Ebert

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 24:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Nixon

3 mentions · Joanna Robinson▶ 44:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Sayles

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Lone Star▶ 22:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Clancy

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger▶ 1:59:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Barry Ackroyd

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Kyle Brandt · Known for The Hurt Locker, Captain Phillips, United 93▶ 20:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christophe Legal

1 mentions · Joanna Robinson · Known for The Pink Panther▶ 27:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗