User Reviews

Everyone who has rooted for an underdog will connect with the charming characters in this affectionate slice of life documentary about how sports can create vital human bonds when the chips are down. At a time when America seems hopelessly divided, the three main characters remind us that much in life is more important than politics. You don't have to be a hockey fan to be carried away by the intimate glimpse into the lives of three people struggling for three different & very human reasons. Along with the story of the fans is a parallel story of the creative citizens of the rust belt city of Buffalo struggling to renew blighted areas despite missteps by political leaders who lack imagination. This documentary will inspire anyone coping with adversity - and isn't that really all of us?

Let me first start by saying I am not a Buffalo Sabres fan. I am a sports fan. Being from Chicago I'm a die-hard Cubs fan. Which is one reason I may have found this film so relatable. I connected with the people in this story. Their struggles with a team that doesn't always perform as well as you think they should. The excitement when they give you hope of playoffs and the disappointment when a game you need them to win they don't. The other thing I enjoyed about this film is yes it's about these fans' love of the team. But it's also about how this team brings together families and friends. It's also about the love for their city of Buffalo. Which plays a great role in this film. I loved learning a bit about the city. I didn't know much about Buffalo before this. I enjoyed getting to know about the fans that were highlighted in the film. We not only learn about their love for their team but also a bit about who they are. You don't need to be a fan of the Buffalo Sabres to enjoy this film. If you're a fan of any sport I think you'd enjoy watching this. It's a heartwarming story with a great group of characters.

The Fan Connection is really not just for sports fanatics, but fans of documentaries in general. The characters are really sweet and compelling. They are the kind of ordinary people we meet all the time, but whose stories are so rarely told in most media. The film is multi-layered - it's a film about sports, what turns people into fans, Buffalo, urban development and more. A unique film that is not only entertaining, but useful in promoting discussion and understanding.

This movie is a must see for anyone who has ever loved an underdog. It details the hopes of Sabres fans in their quest for the Cup, but these stories permeate far past Buffalo's boundaries. I laughed. I cried. I related to these people. You will, too. Watch this movie!

Great movie that allows you to see people that wear their love for the sabres and buffalo on their sleeves. It doesn't matter if you like the Sabres or Buffalo, this film will leave you rooting for the characters, the team and the city.

You don't often see Buffalo and it's fans depicted as they really are; this film is beautifully directed to give the viewer a warm-hearted, true feeling of our beautiful city, beloved Buffalo Sabres, and their fans. You will leave the theatre wanting to watch it again and again. You can't help but fall in love with our fans through this movie -love, perseverance, loyalty, true dedication, and grit are just a few lessons that are thought through this film. It's a must see!

Really good job with this. It was great how you connected the Sabres to everyday lives here in Western New York. You would never know that it was such a small crew who put this whole thing together.

Having grown up in the Buffalo area, I am a die-hard Sabres and Bills fan. Watching this for the first time, I instantly felt the connection with the people in this story. Seeing the excitement when the team performs well and the disappointment when they don't is something that all sports fans go through. But, I really enjoyed how it's about the love of the team, family, friends, and the city itself. I've seen sports documentaries before but this is a real treat. It's a must watch.

A few years back, a work project brought me to the city of Buffalo, NY. Prior to this, I knew relatively little about the city. What I discovered was an aging, rust-belt city with a formerly robust commercial and industrial history that was, shall we say, past its prime. But it was the people I met there that impressed me the most and showed me their deep love of their hometown. This beautiful little film, "The Fan Connection," is a fitting and perfect love letter to those individuals and families that have never given up on Buffalo. Their love of their perennially underdog hockey team chronicled here is an endearing tribute to the never-say-die spirit of the region. The enduring optimism of the locals and their loyalty to the team is joyous and full of love and hope. This is a wonderful documentary that is about so much more than hockey!

The film gives an intimate look at several fans of the Buffalo Sabres. It's engaging and gives the wider world a glimpse into why Buffalo has the best, most dedicated, fans in the world.

This movie gives you all the feels. You will laugh, you will cry, your heart will ache one moment and burst with joy the next. The story is more than sports, its the ups and downs of a city with so much heart. The director does a beautiful job of weaving the lives of the characters together with the city and it's hockey team. You will discover a new love for Buffalo and its people.

The director and producer love their team and hometown; it shows throughout the documentary. You don't have to be a big sports fan (or a sports fan at all) to feel the rollercoaster of emotions Sabres fans go through losing season after losing season. These fans never give up and never give in to green pastures or New York City teams (the Buffalo Bills are a similar heartbreak for Buffalonians). They're Buffalo through and through, forever and always. Their loyalty is inspiring and a testament to the human spirit - no matter how bleak one's outlook, people can overcome the worst of anything. The bottom line - this documentary left me wanting to travel to Buffalo for a Sabres playoff game.

If you are a fan of Buffalo, a fan of hockey or a fan of anything that has carried you through good times and tough times, you'll be a fan of this film!!

Loved it! I had no idea I would shed so many tears at a film about hockey! The characters were great and I really loved all the old footage of Buffalo. Great movie!

This is a perfect documentary that accurately shows our communities love for hockey, the Buffalo Sabres and our frustration of not winning a Championship in any of the major sports teams! This is a must see movie!!!!!

I'm not a fan of sports in general, but this film, with its emphasis on the fans of a subpar hockey team, sucked me in with the its character stories. You get an inside look into their interesting lives and it's fascinating to see how the fans are all brought together by a team that continues to lose tournaments year after year. The hope of getting that elusive first win propels the characters forward and makes for a heartwarming tale of the people of Buffalo NY.

I was expecting this to be a movie about people going to games and rooting for the Sabres. What I got was a little bit of that and a heartwarming dose of the reality that this group of fans face, not only when it comes to the Sabres but their own lives. It's easy to think of a fan base for a team as an extension of that team and ultimately feel a certain way about them based on how you feel about the team. This brings you face to face with the real people, into their lives, their homes, and their cars. I didn't expect to be brought to tears during this movie but it made me feel all the feels and I'm happy to have seen in. It makes me proud to be a Sabres fan and gives me a different perspective of the fans of other teams, love or hate those teams, that those fans are people, too, outside of their hockey team affiliation.

As one who bleeds blue and gold this story is so relatable to Buffalo fans everywhere. Buffalo fans, no matter where they are on this planet do indeed share a connection. This film really shows the love the fans have for their hometown team.

The fans chronicled in this documentary were relatable and as their stories unfolded you found yourself routing for their successes and feeling their heartaches.

This documentary will inspire anyone coping with hard times. This close-up look inside the lives of three sets of Buffalo hockey fans catches the characters during a challenging year. The struggles of the team become a metaphor for personal struggles; but the hockey team seems almost unworthy of the fans. You don't have to be a hockey fan to be carried away by the expert storytelling of the filmmakers. If you are tired of phonies and liars and people out of touch with reality - this is a documentary for you. Along with the story of the fans is a look at the the rust belt city of Buffalo struggling with blighted areas and citizens who are trying to turn things around.

Seeing a community that's taken so many hits, yet still has the strength to rise for their sports team is a wonderful message for these days. The movie showed the grit of a steel town down on its luck with the optimism of fans who who love their team. The filmmakers clearly knew their subject and did a wonderful job bringing it to the screen.

Whether you're from Buffalo or just a sports fan, this is a doc to watch. Very well done!