Rédemption

(Synopsis) The movie is based on a true story of a juvenile detention camp probation officer Sean Porter (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson), who is frustrated by the 75% recidivism rate of the teenage felons that he is responsible for at Camp Kilpatrick. Sean Porter, a former college football star, comes up with an idea to form a football team. Porter believes that football will teach the teenage inmates what it takes to be responsible, teammates, and be winners for the first time, not losers. Porter and probation officer, Malcolm Moore (Xzibit) become the coaches, and they only have 4 weeks to get a team together before their first game. The juveniles must give up their gang rivalries on the gridiron to unite as a team.

(My Comment) You may think that this is just another football movie, but you would be wrong. This is one intense movie that gives you a realistic look into the lives and attitudes of teenage gang members, and their mindset that life means nothing to them when it comes to being disrespected by other gang members. Coach Porter was able to change their ways and give the young men a second chance, and they were better for it. You may be surprised that the Rock actually did a fine job of acting as Coach Porter. You must stay to the very end during the credits, because they show scenes from the documentary of the actual people. (Columbia Pictures, Run time 2:00, Rated PG-13)(8/10)

Gridiron Gang was better than expected because of the exceptional performances by the cast including Dwayne Johnson and Xzibit. Director Phil Joanou is admirable in making this movie based on a true story because I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one and I ended up enjoying it. Dwayne Johnson turns in a solid performance as Sean Porter a juvenile detention center counselor who changes the lives of many troubled teenagers for the better by getting them to join a football team. Xzibit doesn't have much to do but he still is effective as Malcolm Moore whose Sean's friend and a fellow counselor. The rest of the cast are good in their roles as well. The pacing was a little slow at times but the rest of the movie made up for it's few flaws. I was impressed with Gridiron Gang and if people give it a chance I'm sure they'll enjoy it too. Overall despite some flaws Gridiron Gang is a well made coming of age drama with complex characters, some realistic sports action, and equally impressive performances by the cast especially Johnson who make this movie based on a true story worth the time to watch because it deserves to be told.

Well, who would have thought that a professional wrestler would become an actor... not just a star, but a real, true to life 'ACTOR'! Dwayne Johnson has done this and he's seamless with his portrayal of Sean Porter to the letter!

The end of the movie shows several scenes of a documentary where the real Sean Porter is saying the lines that Johnson was speaking in the movie. The Rock makes those lines seem like his own and I bought into every moment of it!

Some characters were from actual kids that were in the L.A. juvie detention center and others were obvious blended characters. Two of the main characters were adversaries at the beginning and they become close... very close friends. This scenario probably has happened in real life, but they are fictionalized blends of probably many. The producers even made the numbers on their jerseys the same, but opposite. One was 13, the other 31... in other words, we are the same, just the sequence is different. I don't know if anyone else caught that, but I found it effective.

Overall, a very good movie with solid acting and a good script with a good ending! I recommend it, but the language is rough. No sugar coating the violence either. Not for kids, not even if the parents are sitting right next to them!

Other than some bad language, I can't see why The Gridiron Gang rated a PG. It's a really nice inspirational story about a man with idea to slow down the rate of recidivism among juvenile offenders.

Based on the true story of Sean Porter, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson plays Porter a former college football star who thinks that if he can get some of the kids to organize as a football team in his ward of the Los Angeles Juvenile Detention Center it might keep them from going back to the gangs and returning to jail or winding up dead.

The Rock, trading in on the name and image that professional wrestling gave him, maybe for the first time is playing a normal human being albeit a former sports star. No superhero heroics for once in this film, just a man with an idea who inspires a bunch of kids to not think of themselves as losers.

Dwayne Johnson dominates the film just as he dominated the ring in his wrestling matches. He's got his own troubles as well, a mother who is dying well he's dealing with the problems of his juvenile charges. But he does persevere and he turns losers to winners.

It's a nice film about what can be accomplished when you believe in yourself.

This was a good movie. It is based on a true story about a man named Sean Porter a real live coach for juveniles played by the "THE ROCK." He wants to coach some 16 and 17 year old juvenile delinquents in a detention facility in hopes of making them change their violent and criminal ways. He wants to teach them team work and to take their minds off gangs and to also learn respect. Since a lot of juveniles return back to their gangs or prison again or end up dead. This movie does send a good message to the youth who are incarcerated. That they can become better people if they are given a second chance. The acting done by "THE ROCK" and "XZBIT" were realistic and inspiring. (8/10).