Credible Credits
Year: 2014
Director: Thomas Carter
Starring: Jim Caviezel, Alexander Ludwig, Michael Chiklis, and Laura Dern
Tagline: It's not how hard you fall; it's how you get back up.
Synopsis: Teamwork and high moral values (apparently) win football games.
Synopsis: Teamwork and high moral values (apparently) win football games.
Review
Let me start off by saying my fantastic company treated me and everyone else to a movie (this movie) and lunch, all during work hours even. I'm immensely grateful to work for an employer who is so thoughtful and gracious. And I recognize this film was probably chosen because it would be inoffensive and uplifting.
I've debated for two weeks about whether or not to critique this movie. It seemed harsh to criticize a movie with good intentions. If the movie had been merely mediocre and poorly constructed, I might have given it a pass. But the more I've thought about it, the more it has irked me. Good intentions notwithstanding, the film was a failure. And worse, the message it ultimately sends is more dangerous than uplifting.
I've debated for two weeks about whether or not to critique this movie. It seemed harsh to criticize a movie with good intentions. If the movie had been merely mediocre and poorly constructed, I might have given it a pass. But the more I've thought about it, the more it has irked me. Good intentions notwithstanding, the film was a failure. And worse, the message it ultimately sends is more dangerous than uplifting.
As for the movie itself, well, it was extremely flawed. Basically it was a rather cheap dot-to-dot of all the possible sports cliches, rigidly following the game plan of better movies that preceded it. And the thing with dot-to-dots, while they may ultimately reveal a picture, they do so in a very stiff, blocky manner. The movie had a lot of elements all thrown together, but none of the components really worked together to create a unified whole. A plot point would be dutifully brought up, momentarily dealt with, and then end up relegated to the back burner to deal with a new plot point. For all the issues brought up, very few ever received any sort of resolution.
It didn't help that the main character, Coach Bob Ladouceur, wasn't particularly likable or relatable. I've liked Jim Caviezel in other things, but here his performance was just wooden and almost aloof. They set him up to learn and grow and have a character arc. But then they never do anything with it. All the issues he had at the beginning of the film are still there at the end. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm a firm believer in a good character arc.
And then there's "trophy dad." The more scenes he was in the more completely over the top he seemed. All he wants is for his son, quarterback Chris Ryan, to break the state record for touchdowns. He's obsessed and practically insane in his lust for that glory. I'd like to believe no father is truly that crazy. And if there are fathers like that, I'm guessing there are some sort of psychological scars they are trying to compensate for. Yes, he's supposed to be an antagonist within the film, but his motivation is so completely superficial he comes across more as a caricature than a person.
If those had been the film's only flaws, I'd have simply skipped it and not written this post.
It didn't help that the main character, Coach Bob Ladouceur, wasn't particularly likable or relatable. I've liked Jim Caviezel in other things, but here his performance was just wooden and almost aloof. They set him up to learn and grow and have a character arc. But then they never do anything with it. All the issues he had at the beginning of the film are still there at the end. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm a firm believer in a good character arc.
And then there's "trophy dad." The more scenes he was in the more completely over the top he seemed. All he wants is for his son, quarterback Chris Ryan, to break the state record for touchdowns. He's obsessed and practically insane in his lust for that glory. I'd like to believe no father is truly that crazy. And if there are fathers like that, I'm guessing there are some sort of psychological scars they are trying to compensate for. Yes, he's supposed to be an antagonist within the film, but his motivation is so completely superficial he comes across more as a caricature than a person.
If those had been the film's only flaws, I'd have simply skipped it and not written this post.
What finally spurred me to write was seeing a user review on IMDb claiming the film encapsulated the struggle between good and evil forces in the world. It's high school football. There's no evil. Trophy dad is arrogant, clueless, and a jerk. The players on the opposing teams have stories of their own. How many of them were just looking for a way to go to college and to get out of the neighborhoods they grew up in? The closest thing to "evil" is the shadowy teen who kills one of the students. An evil act? Yes. But although we are given no motive (or any amount of information or closure), it seems likely the killer was either drunk or high and looking for money.
That same user review also claimed the film epitomizes the strength and values of this nation. Whether that is accurate or not I do not say. But ultimately this is a film that says even though winning isn't everything, let's focus on winning and the belief that there's no problem that can't be resolved by sports. But after the celebrations are all over, what have they won? T.K. is still dead in a senseless act of violence. Mrs. Ladouceur is still a lonely wife. Couch Ladouceur still has no relationship with his sons. Trophy dad is going to be furious with his son. And all the students have to eventually face real life off the gridiron.
The movie is called When the Game Stands Tall, but what is it standing for? The entire movie focuses on winning. It says if you have high moral values and work as a team you'll win. Really? If underdog teams always won in real life they wouldn't be called underdogs. I'm 100% in favor of perseverance and teamwork. But they don't guarantee success. At least not the success this movie glorifies. In every game, one team wins and one team loses. Do we really believe all opposing teams aren't working together? Do we really think that because "our" team is morally upright the "other" team must of necessity be morally bankrupt?
And really, where were those "high moral values"? They were talked about a lot. A day of service at a Veterans Hospital is a very good deed. But it's a deed, not character. The film quotes Matthew 23:12: "And whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." The words are there. But the actions of the movie merely drive home the idea that such exalting of the humble ought to come in this life in the same worldly sphere one hopes for.
For a film that claims to be faith-based, I was surprised by one of the early scenes. One player asks another player, Beaser, about his relationship with his girlfriend. Beaser responds that they are waiting and have made a purity pledge. The other player actually taunts his teammate and asks what cult he belongs to. Beaser responds with the name of a local church, naively oblivious to the fact his teammate just insulted him and his beliefs. Granted, the other player is shown to be a bit of a jerk for the first half of the film. But at no point does the film ever reconcile this interaction. There is never an apology or even any other interaction between the two characters. It's never brought up again. Thus there is no indication the film itself is defending Beaser's beliefs.
The film also makes a huge deal about the idea that if you are a good person, good things will come to you. That is one of the most dangerous half truths the world at large and Christianity in particular have a tendency to fall for. Note that it is a half truth. Obedience and righteousness certainly bring blessings. The danger comes when we build our foundation on the equation good deeds/character = good life/success. It can. It does. But it doesn't always. Just read the book of Job or the history of Joseph Smith. Good deeds and character are not a shield against suffering or setbacks. Nor do they guarantee any sort of worldly success.
The movie certainly shows that some of the characters, though good, have difficult lives struck by tragedy. And the brotherhood of the team helps them cope and get through. That message is there, but it is not central to the story. It ends up being overshadowed by the main plot. For 151 games, the Spartans went undefeated. We are shown what an upstanding, unified group the varsity squad is. Of course they won, they were like brothers. We then see the rising class, the new seniors. They are arrogant, self-assured, and lacking in any semblance of unity or comradery. So it is no surprise when they lose. But as soon as they start doing good deeds together and acting like a team they start winning again. The film then hammers it home: if you have high moral values and work as a team you'll win every game.
Maybe that was true for the real life Spartans. But it is not true of life. I recently saw a post on Facebook that said: "If you fight on your knees, you'll win every battle." I understand the sentiment and fervently advocate prayer. But I disagree. For one thing, it is human nature to do our own defining of "battle." Our definition may not align with God's. How many valiant men, women, and children have "lost the battle" with cancer? How many faithful men and women still constantly battle with addictions? I don't know that God promises we'll win every battle. He knows we won't. That's why we have a Savior. God's promise is that if we keep fighting the good fight, no matter how many times we fall, we'll ultimately win the war.
Coming down from my soap box now.
The film did have a few redeeming merits. While I'm no football fan, the cinematography and choreography for the different games were interesting and (reasonably) gripping. And Michael Chiklis as the assistant coach was terrific. He had all the best lines in the movie and was the most likable character.
Final analysis: I'm glad I didn't spend my own time or money on this film. If you want an uplifting football film, go find Remember the Titans or Rudy. And if you want a more realistic portrayal of teamwork and perseverance, maybe start with Monsters University.
***Spoiler Section***
By the time we got to the climax, I was quite ready to be done. But as Ryan purposefully gave up his chance to beat the state touchdown record, I got a little emotional. And it made me kinda mad. Why? Because I knew full well it hadn't earned those emotions. One of the things I learned as a film student is to tell when I'm being manipulated by the media. Most movies to some degree or another manipulate because they want your time, your money, your emotional investment, and your suspension of disbelief.
It can be a fine line to walk. Filmmakers want people to connect with their stories. Ideally you connect with the characters and the story. That must be the foundation, and everything else is just supplemental. But if the foundation isn't there, if the story is haphazard and the characters are flat, the connection fails. At that point, cue the music, the cliches, and/or the adrenaline rush.
Honestly, what's the ending even about? Is it saying "it doesn't matter if you win or lose?" Because they won the game and the championship. So what was Ryan's sacrifice for? Yes, to a degree it shows the state record doesn't matter to him. But we already knew that. There were other ways to show that. For one thing, it meant breaking his promise to his father. Yes, it was a pretty rotten promise that was forced out of him. But he gave his word. Also, the big push of Coach Ladouceur was to always give a "perfect effort." I'm not sure refusing to play out those last few seconds of the game really constituted a perfect effort.
As symbolic gestures go, I simply didn't get this one. And Mrs. Ladouceur spouting off things like "he's making your son into a man" to trophy dad were without real foundation. It was just another sports cliche platitude.
Now I don't know if Chris Ryan was a real person or made up for the movie. I don't recall there being anything about him in the credits. Maybe that's what really did happen. Or maybe it was artistic license. I just really hope no actual father was as completely insane as trophy dad.
The film also makes a huge deal about the idea that if you are a good person, good things will come to you. That is one of the most dangerous half truths the world at large and Christianity in particular have a tendency to fall for. Note that it is a half truth. Obedience and righteousness certainly bring blessings. The danger comes when we build our foundation on the equation good deeds/character = good life/success. It can. It does. But it doesn't always. Just read the book of Job or the history of Joseph Smith. Good deeds and character are not a shield against suffering or setbacks. Nor do they guarantee any sort of worldly success.
The movie certainly shows that some of the characters, though good, have difficult lives struck by tragedy. And the brotherhood of the team helps them cope and get through. That message is there, but it is not central to the story. It ends up being overshadowed by the main plot. For 151 games, the Spartans went undefeated. We are shown what an upstanding, unified group the varsity squad is. Of course they won, they were like brothers. We then see the rising class, the new seniors. They are arrogant, self-assured, and lacking in any semblance of unity or comradery. So it is no surprise when they lose. But as soon as they start doing good deeds together and acting like a team they start winning again. The film then hammers it home: if you have high moral values and work as a team you'll win every game.
Maybe that was true for the real life Spartans. But it is not true of life. I recently saw a post on Facebook that said: "If you fight on your knees, you'll win every battle." I understand the sentiment and fervently advocate prayer. But I disagree. For one thing, it is human nature to do our own defining of "battle." Our definition may not align with God's. How many valiant men, women, and children have "lost the battle" with cancer? How many faithful men and women still constantly battle with addictions? I don't know that God promises we'll win every battle. He knows we won't. That's why we have a Savior. God's promise is that if we keep fighting the good fight, no matter how many times we fall, we'll ultimately win the war.
Coming down from my soap box now.
The film did have a few redeeming merits. While I'm no football fan, the cinematography and choreography for the different games were interesting and (reasonably) gripping. And Michael Chiklis as the assistant coach was terrific. He had all the best lines in the movie and was the most likable character.
Final analysis: I'm glad I didn't spend my own time or money on this film. If you want an uplifting football film, go find Remember the Titans or Rudy. And if you want a more realistic portrayal of teamwork and perseverance, maybe start with Monsters University.
***Spoiler Section***
By the time we got to the climax, I was quite ready to be done. But as Ryan purposefully gave up his chance to beat the state touchdown record, I got a little emotional. And it made me kinda mad. Why? Because I knew full well it hadn't earned those emotions. One of the things I learned as a film student is to tell when I'm being manipulated by the media. Most movies to some degree or another manipulate because they want your time, your money, your emotional investment, and your suspension of disbelief.
It can be a fine line to walk. Filmmakers want people to connect with their stories. Ideally you connect with the characters and the story. That must be the foundation, and everything else is just supplemental. But if the foundation isn't there, if the story is haphazard and the characters are flat, the connection fails. At that point, cue the music, the cliches, and/or the adrenaline rush.
Honestly, what's the ending even about? Is it saying "it doesn't matter if you win or lose?" Because they won the game and the championship. So what was Ryan's sacrifice for? Yes, to a degree it shows the state record doesn't matter to him. But we already knew that. There were other ways to show that. For one thing, it meant breaking his promise to his father. Yes, it was a pretty rotten promise that was forced out of him. But he gave his word. Also, the big push of Coach Ladouceur was to always give a "perfect effort." I'm not sure refusing to play out those last few seconds of the game really constituted a perfect effort.
As symbolic gestures go, I simply didn't get this one. And Mrs. Ladouceur spouting off things like "he's making your son into a man" to trophy dad were without real foundation. It was just another sports cliche platitude.
Now I don't know if Chris Ryan was a real person or made up for the movie. I don't recall there being anything about him in the credits. Maybe that's what really did happen. Or maybe it was artistic license. I just really hope no actual father was as completely insane as trophy dad.
Quotable Quotes
- "It's a contact sport. You're allowed to hit people. It's encouraged even!" -- Asst. Coach Terry Eidson
- "Good waffles." -- Asst. Coach Terry Eidson
- "I'll give everything until I die out there." "Collapse. Not die. It's just high school football." -- Player and Coach Bob Ladouceur
ISFS
Jen, I've read and listened to several reviews of this movie, and you're the only one who has intelligently articulated what has been bugging me about it! Fantastic review.
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