Hometown Legend

Received the DVD as a Christmas present, and only have one complaint (and it's not even the movie's fault) -- I wish the aspect ratio were widescreen. A movie as inspirational as this deserves that "big screen" look, especially for the numerous (and well shot) football sequences. Funny that the trailer appears to be widescreen. Hmmm.

Well acted, and believable, there were several touching moments in the various character's journeys. Lacey Chabert and Nick Cornish have a good on screen chemistry, while Terry O'Quinn is perfect as the perfectionist coach. I thought I could predict how everything would turn out. I was wrong -- and I love that in a movie!

Also nicely done: the background score. (Wish the audio was 5.1, but the Dolby Pro Logic was quite adequate). Dan Haseltine and Joe Hogue are to be congratulated on creating a nice "high school" feel during the many action sequences. The quiet scenes are are rendered nicely, reminding me of the excellent score from "Remember the Titans".

For it's sound focus on quality drama, moving moments, great sport shots and without trashy language, I highly recommend this film.

Having read all the comments about Hometown Legend one thing that struck me was how diametrically opposed they were,its really bad or how impossibly good it was....... I'm afraid its not either of those though there's a lot to like in it,the acting and football scenes are excellent the music is good but as another reviewer has said there are just too many hokey cliques in the plot and some really stupid plot devices especially those involving the coach,football teams losing streak, school closing, we've seen it all before and done much better if it had been a true story i could have forgiven it all of this but in a drama there should at least be some attempt at an original thought.......a just above average film no worse no better

Even if you're not a sports fan it is a great family movie. Great football scenes, music and actors. Mark McLachlan is super as "Sherman Naters"....go "Shermanater"! Excellent for for all ages. Keeps you hanging on till the end.

Yes, we love our football way down in Alabama, and this movie does a decent job of showing that. It's about a high school football team in Alabama, and if you're actually from the South, you might enjoy it a little more than if you're not. It's kind of like being from New York might help you enjoy "Sex and the City" than if you're not.

There are tons of University of Alabama references, so if you just can't stand the mighty Crimson Tide, you might want to skip this one. The football coach quotes "Bear" Bryant, and the team wears crimson jerseys. Also, the winner of a big scholarship that the high school gives always uses it to attend Alabama.

"Legend" also has a strong Christian theme, but it's not overbearing. It's not like it's trying to convert you -- instead, it's just part of the movie, just like Christianity is a part of Southern towns.

Maybe my only minor nitpick is that the Southern accents don't ring true for every character in the movie. Some of the actors sound like they're trying hard to sound like they're from Alabama. Lacey Chabert's accent sounds true, but then again she's originally from Purvis, Miss. However, I'm from the South, so the accents stand out to me. If you're not Southern, you probably won't even notice or care about them.

Better off reading the book if you want the story.

The football scenes looked like a bunch of JR High kids. Slow and sloppy.

Also, realizing telling the whole story would have taken 4 hours at the pace of this movie, there was WAY TOO much left out and to the imagination.

I absolutely LOVED the book, but was bored silly during the whole movie after the first 10 minutes which I admit did choke me up. But if I hadn't read the book even that would have bored me. I would still have thought it was a poor to only OK movie.