When The Game Stands Tall (2014)

When The Game Stands Tall tells the story of how legendary football coach Bob Ladouceur took the De Salle High School ‘Spartans’ from obscurity to an unparalleled 151 game winning streak.

Overall Review Score

6.5 out of 10

Review

Inspired by the true story of the 1992 – 2003 high school football winning streak by Da La Salle High School ‘Spartans’ and the 2003 book of the same name by Neil Hayes. When The Game Stands Tall is directed by Thomas Carter and features Jim Caviezel as Coach Bob Ladouceur in a sport-drama coming of age story about a football team who are defeated and must pick themselves up. While the film features spectacular football scenes, a raw emotion often overlooked in sports-drama and enough realism to ground the story, its failure to fully develop or introduce all the characters lets the film down and leaves the audience momentarily off kilter. However, the ending – a tribute to a coach whom brought the team back from defeat – is heart warming and leaves the audience walking away feeling happy and ready to face their own challenges. Overall, When The Game Stands Tall, while showcasing some of the most commonly used drama clichés in film, entertains the audience and will leave them wondering if any team will ever beat De La Salle’s record.

Reviewer 1's score & comments:

Score: 5 out of 10

Comments:

Even though When The Game Stands Tall is inspired by true events I feel that the film is going to be a hit or miss for audiences. The film’s predictable storyline, monosyllabic dialogue and in parts lack of character development make this a really difficult film to appreciate.

Reviewer 2's score & comments:

Score: 8 out of 10

Comments:

When The Game Stands Tall is an interesting and risky sport-drama film, while it is based on a true story and drops the audience directly into the story and by extension the winning streak of Da La Salle High School, it fails to set up the characters or introduce the film with meaning. As such, the film – albeit initially, feels somewhat clunky and uncoordinated. However, once the film progresses it features some emotional scenes, interesting American Football montages and good acting by Jim Caviezel. When The Game Stands Tall is ultimately a film that reinforces the message that ‘it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how you get back up’ that counts.

#drama #sport