Gridiron Gangby Anonymous
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January 06, 2008:
Pros: I saw the preview for this movie and turned away with disinterest. I'm not into sports, and I usually don't get into these athletic movies. The usual formula is a bunch of people down on their luck who start a team, build a bond, and then with seconds on the scoreboard, they win (or sometimes lose). The End. But not this movie. This movie immediately caught my attention because it didn't give what Hollywood and mainstream media likes to believe are the way gangsters act. This movie showcased realistic young men who had to choose between their own family, friends, and a lifestyle of gang violence and loyalty. Even when coming out of a bad situation in juvi, they were placed back on these same streets to deal with the same issues they dealt with beforehand. In the midst of that, one young man ends up in juvi by making the wrong decision. A probations officer is fed up with the boys fighting, threatening, and having self-pity on themselves. Sean Porter (played by ridiculously gorgeous Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) takes on this opportunity to introduce a football team to a slew of young men who need something productive in their lives. Not only does becoming a team build leadership, loyalty, and teamwork, but it also bridges the gap due to some members being from different gangs and hating each other for simple things like tattoos and neighborhoods. With the opportunity to play outside teams, these young men deal with a small amount of racism and a lot of skepticism because of their pasts. In the end, whether they win or lose, a bond is made. I loved this movie. Not only because it gave such a realistic view of what it is like for so many young (especially Black) men living in areas that are heavily influenced by gangs, but because it got me back to researching the Jena 6. Because those young men were also football players, trying to have a future, and dealing with adversity from racism and people not believing they could succeed based on idiotic things like skin color, environment, and stereotypes, it made me sad to watch this movie, but I was happy to do so. I won't go into a speech about the Jena 6, but I did make a connection between this movie and them, and I hope Mychal Bell gets his opportunity at football and a better future without having to spend it in a detention center the way these guys in the movie did. Either way, excellent film. Five stars! Favorite Scenes: 17. Pushing and 20. Trouble. I could watch those two scenes all day long and replayed them so many times I'm surprised I didn't mess up the DVD. Cons: Never even occurred to me to look for any nor are there any to find.
This review was written about the DVD Wide Screen edition.
Gridiron Gangby Anonymous
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January 19, 2007:
It seems like the past few years have seen a run on sports films that demonstrate the power of learning sportsmanship on a team level can alter the lives of the misbegotten youths suffering from the angst of society's perceptions. We've been through soccer, baseball, tennis, dance, track and football: GRIDIRON GANG uses football as the pivotal point, but due to the presence of a fine script by Jeff Maguire who adapted Jac Flanders documentary film, and cohesive poignant direction by Phil Joanou who knows how to move a large cast around and keep it personal, and most of all due to the overpoweringly fine performance by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson this film is so honest and uplifting that it doesn't leave a dry eye in the audience. The story is well known: Probation Officer Sean Porter (Johnson) is frustrated that the boys in his camp for young criminals when released to the streets show 75% returning and a large number dying in gang related violence. He sees this trend as being due to the lack of self-esteem in kids whose lives outside are demeaning and encourage failure. He gathers support from his fellow workers Malcolm Moore (Xzibit), Paul Higa (Leon Rippy) and Ted Dexter (Kevin Dunn) and gradually builds confidence in his project to organize a football team of his inmates. We wisely get to know the background of a few of the more difficult incarcerated boys, a fact that makes the project more full of tension and understanding of the problems to be resolved. Though most of the cast are unknowns, they are fine actors in this film: Jade Yorker, David V. Thomas, Setu Taase, Mo, James Earl, Trever O'Brien, Brandon Mychal Smith, Danny Martinez, Joe Seo, and Joey Lucero. Through the team's growth as a unit they confront and manage to cope with problems and grow into goal-driven, good spirited young men. The presence of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is stunningly underplayed and all the more powerful for it. This is a sensitive performance that places Johnson in an all new category of respect as an actor. The film is overly long (120 minutes) due to repeated games the team plays and for devotees of Football that will be a positive aspect. But far more important than the games is the quiet growing of trust and faith that shows in the faces of this fine cast. Recommended viewing, especially for those who think they have seen too many sports related do-good films! Grady Harp
This review was written about the DVD Wide Screen edition.
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