William ArnottGridiron Gang - 2 Clocks
November 15th 2006 00:39
In sports, it’s all about the win, but in a sports movie it’s all about the team. That’s probably why I don’t really care much for the former and absolutely adore the latter.
There is no doubt that Gridiron Gang is a sports movie, but what sets it apart from others in its genre is the spin it puts on the usual underdog story. The Mustangs weren’t underdogs because they were in last place in the league; they were underdogs because, as a group of incarcerated youth, they were in last place in life. But their corrections officer turned coach saw beyond that and transformed them into a football team.
They had no real talent but that didn’t matter because “you don’t have to be an athlete to be a Mustang, you just have to have heart.” And these kids had heart. Sure by the end of the movie they also had some athletic talent, but that isn’t what this movie is about.
Unfortunately The Mustangs weren’t the only ones lacking in talent. The performances in Gridiron Gang were nothing special. Not bad, but nothing special. It was my first experience with The Rock as an actor, and although he didn’t’ completely suck, which I kind of assumed he would, he also wasn’t nearly as inspiring as I imagine his real life inspiration, Sean Porter, was.
My only other complaint is that I could have done without the long game sequence halfway through the movie…but then again that’s coming from someone who admittedly doesn’t really care much for sports.
There is no doubt that Gridiron Gang is a sports movie, but what sets it apart from others in its genre is the spin it puts on the usual underdog story. The Mustangs weren’t underdogs because they were in last place in the league; they were underdogs because, as a group of incarcerated youth, they were in last place in life. But their corrections officer turned coach saw beyond that and transformed them into a football team.
They had no real talent but that didn’t matter because “you don’t have to be an athlete to be a Mustang, you just have to have heart.” And these kids had heart. Sure by the end of the movie they also had some athletic talent, but that isn’t what this movie is about.
Unfortunately The Mustangs weren’t the only ones lacking in talent. The performances in Gridiron Gang were nothing special. Not bad, but nothing special. It was my first experience with The Rock as an actor, and although he didn’t’ completely suck, which I kind of assumed he would, he also wasn’t nearly as inspiring as I imagine his real life inspiration, Sean Porter, was.
My only other complaint is that I could have done without the long game sequence halfway through the movie…but then again that’s coming from someone who admittedly doesn’t really care much for sports.
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