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While there is a Woodlawn High School in my town of Baton Rouge, LA, this one is about a Woodlawn in Birmingham, AL, that seemed in danger of closing because of the racial incidents that happened when it was integrated in the early '70s. The coach employs a motivational speaker-played by Sean Astin-to help heal whatever issues the school football players had with each other and it seems to do the trick, especially when one of the black players-Tony Nathan-suddenly becomes very valuable to the team. I'll stop there and just say this is quite an inspirational true-life drama to watch in light of recent racial strife we seem to be going through right now. Oh, and I also liked Jon Voight's playing of legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, as well. So on that note, I recommend Woodlawn.

Saw s screening of this a couple of months ago. The movie is pretty good even though i think there should have been a little more development in some of the characters. It would have came together a little better in the end. I would definitely recommend it though. This is a Christian move so of course there will be many haters just for this fact. Yes it is a little preachy but not so embarrassing as a lot of others. If this wasn't based on a true story, i would have given it a lower rating because it seemed to be a little too far fetched ( in a good way ). But i asked one of the persons at the screening who was involved with the picture if this really happened as it was shown and he said yes, it was. This isn't just a football movie. Its a lot more, so don't go in expecting just another Christian football movie. If you do want a good Christian football movie, see 'When the Game Stands Tall' So it is a great story that really happened. There are a few things that weren't explained fully that left me wanting more but nevertheless, i liked it. You wont be disappointed..

A very hard film to review, a film clearly of the "faith" genre so well produced, acted, directed, cast that it literally pulls at its own leash and tries to cross over into the mainstream.

Also lost in the shuffle is the fact that the "mystery" evangelist who appears out of nowhere and sparks the story fathered two sons who .. big coincidence here.. produced the movie.

A wonderful performance by Voight who frankly we take too much for granted. Compare his work here to Ray Dovovan and you will wonder if you are looking at the same actor.

A film is in many ways the ultimate recipe for a soufflé. Leave it in the oven a few minutes too long and it falls.

The irony is that with a little more judicious editing, a little less preaching, the objective of a true crossover might have been achieved.

This was one of two football movies coming out at the same time. The other was My All American. Being football movies they do have a similar concept, but while My All American seems to be about an underdog overcoming his physical condition, In Woodlawn, the underdogs use faith to over come their challenges, the biggest one being off the field...Segregation.

Based on a true story of a high school football team that fought segregation with the help of Christ. I'm not that big of a fan of faith based films, and this movie is faith base. It seemed too easy, even to the coach of the high school team, for these teenagers, who haven't even wrapped around their heads going to an non-segregated school, to somehow band together through the love of Jesus, but who am I to argue with the touching moments that occurred through those scenes (maybe that's how it happen?).

For me, the best part of the movie was the football. The way the camera moves within the players on the football field was hands down spectacular. I don't think I've ever seen a football movie filmed in such a matter. I felt closer to the grid Iron than I ever did watching a film.

Overall, it's an amazing story about how Jesus united blacks and whites in a place in Alabama on a football field. Go to watch the football, stay for the inspiring message.

The most emotionally driven sports film since 42 in 2013. With a very similar idea but with more of a spiritual message. For a film with many unknown people and little known companies this is very well made. But if it was Universal I would expect a little more as this film offers a lot of talk and some action and not much character development. This will probably be one of those films that will fly over everyone's head and may not get many viewers and money. But we'll see strange things happen. But for what it is I'm glad I saw it and was worth the 6$ price and a film I'd recommend after it comes out on Redbox. Here are the grades for the film. Directing: B Acting: B+ Music: B Story: B Overall: B

Released in 2015, "Woodlawn" is an inspirational sports film based on the true story of Tony Nathan, a running back who went on to play for the Miami Dolphins and played in two Super Bowls (XVII and XIX). The story focuses on his experiences at Woodlawn High School in 1973-1974 as Nathan and other black students desegregate the school under government mandate. Nic Bishop plays the coach, Sean Astin a motivational minister, Jon Voight Paul "Bear" Bryant, C. Thomas Howell a coach from a rival high school and Joy Brunson Tony's potential babe.

The plot and tone are very similar to 2000's "Remember the Titans." They're also both based on true stories. The main difference is that "Woodlawn" is decidedly faith-based, albeit not as overt as movies like "God is Not Dead" (2014) and "War Room" (2015). The filmmakers are just telling the true story in which Christian faith was an essential part. If you can't stomach this element I suggest staying away.

In any case, the story moves briskly and there's a lot of football action. The problem is that, like "Remember the Titans," the film doesn't focus on character development. I suppose this is so because they're both based on true events and the writers didn't want to stray from reality. Whatever the reason, it prevents the story from truly captivating the viewer, but it's worthwhile if you like inspirational sports flicks like "Remember the Titans" or movies that focus on the black experience in the South during the Civil Rights era, like 2011's "The Help."

The film runs 123 minutes and was shot in Birmingham and Hueytown, Alabama.

GRADE: B-

I love sport movies and therefore i was looking forward to that movie, that i didn't hear anything about. Well, i don't wanna summarize too much, i just wanted to tell you, that you get the message pretty soon: Believe in Jesus and you can achieve anything. Well...nice to know, but do i need to get that message in every minute of that movie? What the fu** is the "jesusrevolution" that gets the fattest credit I've ever seen? Do i really need i character that says:"this city is a wonder, so much, i want to get baptized". I mean really? That direct in your face? For me this is bad writing.

However, i'm Christian myself, but i really do hate that assimilation thing some religions do.

The movie gets one point for the main character, one for some nice sport sequences (although they in fact repeat themselves over and over again) and a third point for being a sport movie.

Anyone not living in the bible belt or having a radical Christian attitude should be warned, it is really a pathetic piece of propaganda.

This movie was like stepping back in time. My husband and I grew up in Alabama during this time frame and experienced pretty much everything in the film; segregation, desegregation, race wars and the Jesus Revolution. These events are not exaggerated! They actually happened not only at Woodlawn but in cities all over America. They happened in the schools and churches in our town...this is truth and we personally have never recovered from that time period...when God showed up. Must see story! Billy Graham came to our little town...David Wilkerson came too...This film accurately and poignantly portrays a vivid spiritual awakening that we could certainly use a heavy dose of right now in this country.

This movie did what gods not dead tried, but only marginally better. The writing was stilted and awkward, the acting can't really be blamed, as it's working with a less than stellar script, but the overall story and the backdrop of Deep South perseverance on the football field carries this movie through to a 6, but no higher. Overall, worth a watch if you're in a mood for remember the Titans but you've already seen remember the titans.

Is it possible to make a sports movie about unification or redemption without religion???

As much as I love this kind of movie, many of them, including this one, do feel very much like a recruitment to the cause film. When a movie rams religion in as this one does it really diminishes the overall story.

Now I'm sure millions of religious people will disagree and fair enough but this is my opinion :)

Otherwise highly enjoyable.

Woodlawn is easily the best faith-based film I've ever seen (one not based on a bible story, that is). The film details the true story of the Woodlawn High School football team in 1973 Birmingham, Alabama, the year the school integrated, and how this team helped bring the whole school together by all of the players accepting Christ. This is a story that could have easily been ham-fisted, but the Erwin Brothers (the directors of the film) manage to keep the film from ever being too sappy or preachy. All of the preaching of the film comes naturally from the characters and who they are, which is a problem with most faith-based films. Characters will often transform into philosophical sages when the filmmakers feel it is time to preach, and I think that just comes across as cheesy and not authentic to non-believers and some believers. Luckily, Woodlawn avoids that pitfall in its script, which could have been a little stronger in some areas (in particular in character depth and their motivations), but unlike most faith-based films, the good outweighs the bad here. Featuring some truly moving moments and a slew of well-realized football sequences, Woodlawn is a faith- based film I actually want to recommend.

I give Woodlawn an 8 out of 10!

It was a good football movie, but I didn't realise how religious it was going to be.

Tony Nathan, Bear Bryant, George Wallace, Eli Gold (as himself), and Legion Field... it's a great walk down memory lane for Birminghamsters. The early 1970's Birmingham high school football rivalries, with the backdrop of desegregation, is the setting. A Christian preacher shows up in the midst of violence and turmoil to bring the diverse team together through Jesus (the movie is set in the early 70's before Christianity became political). The film culminates with the Banks v. Woodlawn state championship game at Legion Field, including archival footage from the game called by voiceover from Eli Gold. Jon Voight is excellent as The Bear. Yes, the film is shot through rose colored glasses, but sometimes we need a little inspiration. My only gripe is that the film casts a pro separation of church and state "villain" as being from Montgomery, which is patently absurd. Overall, fun movie for folks from Birmingham, Tide fans, and those old enough to remember the Alabama v. Penn State Sugar Bowl.

As our country continues to see the lines of racial divide grow farther and farther apart this film is a breath of fresh air. With a well written screenplay and excellent acting Woodlawn lifts the spirit of its audience to embrace the truth that peace can be found for everyone through faith in the one true source of hope and love. We need more films like this to help shape our culture for the betterment of society.

Take your family, take your friends, take your sports teams, and see this film. If we can emulate the change that took place in this town Alabama then maybe we can make a difference in our nation that has eternal weight.

Some may debate whether I'm spoiling Woodlawn with this review, but spoilers reveal plot twists, and this contains none of it. I can see why Woodlawn has garnered only a 6.3/10 for such an emotionally powerful film. Sean Astin plays the man who brings a sense of religion into the team, and it can rub a good number of people the wrong way. I'm not at all religious, but spiritual, and it's very personal for me. As the film developed the story, I resisted the urge to shut down, because I don't want to simply give up, but Woodlawn can make people feel really uncomfortable, because of the religion being played in moments throughout the film. I found myself almost rolling my eyes between tears. If this is what truly happened at Woodlawn HS, terrific. But I also get a feeling that the film was produced to react to the ongoing debate over how personal religion may bleed into someone else's comfort zone. Throughout Woodlawn, this fact kept in my consciousness, which was a little discomforting, and at the end of the film it tells viewers about upcoming rallies for Jesus.

I'm telling you this because it's not spoiling Woodlawn, but revealing for those who either love Jesus and God, or for those who don't want to feel preached to, to consider watching something else. I was puzzled the way the film started because I had no idea about the religious back story embedded in Woodlawn. A coach on the west coast recently was called to task about similar actions, to that of the team coach in this movie. SCOTUS has been reviewing cases even now, and religion has become a hot button topic in the elections. Whatever you feel is your choice, but I don't care to let my guard down just so that I can feel somewhat emotionally and spiritually exploited, as I did by the time the credits rolled.

It still is a powerful film, but the message of team and personal sacrifice and achievement was underscored by the recurring message of a higher power. I understand that the Jesus movement helped many during an era of national turmoil. As people spoke about what happened in the 1960s and early '70s, footage of actual interviews were shown, and the messages ring true in today's unrest. That message has told me that, even after decades have passed, maybe technology and music can change, but people tend to react now as they have decades and even centuries ago.

The acting itself was top-notch. The story begins with some really heart wrenching accounts, and the characters piked up the ball, so to speak, and scored. All characters felt believable, the music and editing were fine, and I liked the cinematography, which was nice but not amazing. But one character - a student with a very large afro - didn't seem to make a final confrontation like I had expected he would.

If it weren't for the heavier-than-expected religious insertions, I would have enjoyed it more.

I love historical sports dramas, especially the ones related to racial problems. I must admit I'm a sucker for motivational speeches and overcoming hardship or doing what others thought of as impossible. But this movie no matter if this really is how it went down is way too religious and uses way to much time on the religious aspect to my taste.

I read the reviews on this page and was aware that it might have a little religious aspect. I thought that it was not a problem because most American sports movies have it and they are great anyway! So I was quite disappointed when I found myself halfway through the movie annoyed by this and I ended up skipping parts of the movie just so I get some the sports drama I initially wanted.

Guess what I'm trying to say is... If you are not religious and not a great fan of spending two hours hearing about how great faith is and the wonders it can do. You should not watch this movie