Touchback

I wasn't at all turned on by the trailer, but went with my wife to a screening here near Cleveland because it was free and I will see anything football. My wife was less enthusiastic about seeing it, but came because she wants me to see Lucky One with her next week and that was part of the deal. By the end of the movie, she was bawling. She loved it. Honestly, this movie was more for her than me, but it made us both think about life and we had a pretty amazing conversation on the way home.

All in all, I am giving it a nine because she thought it was a ten and I thought it was around an eight. It's a great date movie, if you go, take your wife or girlfriend.

Mild twists and a touch of Sci-Fi to keep you involved. More important is the off field story. Much more than anything. Apart from The on field twist near the end that I wasn't ready for the off field story is enough to keep you hoping for a magical change. But the reality is enough to make you say 'yes!' at the end.

Very earthy performances from the leads. Believable in every situation. Scott is well cast as an unassuming star,. Kurt Russell adds pulling power to the credits and has not been cast without reference to his ability to play characters we can all relate to.

Scott Murphy's character mirrors the perennially struggling farmers in not only USA but here in my home as well. He portrays admirably the shielded turmoil of men of the land fighting bad turns daily and then gritting , bearing and getting on with the job until all seems lost. Never allow this to impact his optimistic outlook for his children.

Truly credible performance.

A cheesy and predictable but heartwarming theme that you've seen before in similar films. The hero high school athlete goes "back" to high school to realize that his marriage and "present-day" life isn't as bad as he thought it was.

My friends tell me I rely too much on IMDb ratings to determine whether a movie is worth watching. Normally I don't bother with anything under a 6.5-ish rating but in a weak moment I decided to watch this anyway (which at the time of writing this review was rated 5.7). I'm usually in agreement with the other voters; but the masses are way off on this one. Touchback is a great movie addressing themes that Hollywood doesn't advocate very often: Seeing purpose in your life, satisfaction with what you have, leaving regrets in the past, second chances, personal reflection, and a reminder that no matter how bleak things appear in a given moment, there are family, friends, and community who care about you.

Yes, there are some cheesy spots, and a few instances of questionable acting, not to mention the high school students/athletes look over 30! But if you can get past the minor flaws, and look to the powerful themes in this movie you will not be disappointed.

Touchback isn't epic (nor does it try to be), but it's certainly not a 5.7! I'd give it a solid 7.5/10. Touchback left me wondering how many other underrated movies I've missed!

Touchback is the story of a football player who gets a chance to relive his high school days, at the end of which 15 years ago, he injured his leg and thereby lost his chance to go to college and play as a professional. As he finds himself in a known situation, he relooks at the very things (present) knowing well what is the future. Initially he is excited that he can now literally rewrite the past, especially his dream of getting out of the small native town he has grown up in and become a professional football player. However, his interactions with his coach, his own single mother and most of all with an unknown girl (who in his present is his wife) in the college - not unknown, but he never really did notice her then - he begins to see the beauty of the present. His mother challenges him to be happy now, rather than eternally keep chasing happiness in the future. Finally when he actually has a chance to change the present, in line with his grand plans for the future, he does the same as he did then, 15 years ago... all for the sake of retaining what is most important in life... love and friendship of those dear and not personal plans for glory.

I wonder how many of us, if given a chance to go back into our past and change things, would change the whole of it? Or some of it? Or most of it? Blessed are those who will live it as it is and be happy about it! Because only then will each present moment count and every choice made valuable, because my present is more important than my past or the future... because my choice for the right and lasting things of life is more important than momentary glory and honour.

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