Movie Review: American Underdog

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent sports drama, even for those who don't like sports (like me). 


The Erwin Brothers' newest film is quite similar to other sports Biopics but tells its story so well that you may not care. Of course, in a movie like this the most important ingredient is to have you root for the main character and this is something this film does very well. The character himself is very likable. He is flawed but only in ways that make him more real and relatable and don't take away from how much we like him. At the same time his circumstances and what he goes through make it hard not to root for the guy. Anyone who would put this much work and go through the hardships he does to achieve his dreams will automatically get respect from any audience. Now I admit that I had no idea who Kurt Warner was before this movie and can't remember the last time I actually watched a football game, but despite this I found myself really wanting to see this guy make the big time. This movie is just as much a romance film as it is a football movie and it surprised me just how well this romance worked. Zachary Levi and Anna Paquin had perfect chemistry and it was a joy to watch them share the screen. The romance also took its time and never felt rushed or shoehorned into a story about football. This romance became instead one of the most charming and engaging parts of the film. If I had to fault it at all it is that it could sometimes push the football story too much to the background but with how much I enjoyed it, this is a minor complaint. As anyone familiar with The Erwin Brothers' previous movies could guess, this film has a Christain message throughout much of it. This is handled really well (of course being Christian I am bit biased), and the movie shows the faith of the characters without ever stopping the story to preach.

With this movie and the documentary, The Jesus Music, this has been an excellent year for the Erwin Brothers.