Trophy Kids

Rarely have I been angrier than when I watched this documentary. The film is about some kids who have parents who are the ultimate helicopter sports parents--parents who insist their children MUST succeed and at any cost. What will you see in this film? Well, several parents use threats of physical abuse to motivate their little athletes. All of them use emotional blackmail and emotional abuse (though the mother of the tennis players wasn't as bad in this respect) and literally have robbed their children of childhoods. And again and again, it's shocking that these parents haven't had their kids taken away from them and the schools have often caved in to their bullying. It is not an exaggeration that these parents are among the most vile you could imagine. After all, a crack-addicted parent could blame crappy parenting on the drug but these parents have no such excuse.

Okay, it's obvious the film created a huge emotional reaction within me. But what about the technical merits? Well, when the film began I noticed that the camera-work was simply awful--and the camera bounced around as if it was using a monkey cam. Fortunately, it DOES get better...so stick with it. My only question, though, is how could the filmmakers watch all this abuse and not get involved? Sure, I know they wanted to make a film but there also comes a point where you'd think they'd have a responsibility to take their material to Children's Services.

By the way, if you want to watch a film that touches on SOME of this but offers a much wider range of parenting and the children's enjoyment of the game, try "The Short Game". And, incidentally, one of the vilest parents is in BOTH films.

Overall, I'd say the film is good despite some technical glitches because it DOES get your attention and hold it. But it also is VERY frustrating because the viewer REALLY wants to know what's happened to these poor kids.

The documentary starts off with a look at the training some of the kids go through. It is intense stuff, and from their training they look like they could play their respective sport really well. However, I was surprised to see initially, that they weren't doing that well come game time. Also, it didn't help that their parents were on the side yelling at them.

It is very disconcerting to know that children are being raised like this, because I am sure it happens. This documentary does at times feel like a reality show, since the people being filmed obviously know they are being filmed, and sometimes get prompts to answer questions. But, I did like that we could hear the questions being asked, as it did add some 'spontaneity' to their answers.

As well, the editing and sequence of the scenes are well done. I do feel like we see a bit more of the two basketball athletes (which is fine by me), but we see more of their games and not much after game talk. I do wonder where the other half of the kids' parents/ family are. We get glimpses of them on screen from time to time, but they don't give any comment.

For the most part, the cinematography is good, with close ups and long shots. However, there are instances where it feels more like a found film, with the camera handled by a rookie, or teens on the run. Some scenes would start with an extreme close up of the parent, and zoom out, with the camera shaking a bit as well. While that does add to the documentary aspect of it, perhaps it is an indication that this is a low budget film.

Overall, a terrifying watch, with parents thinking they always know the best. Some of their behavior can definitely be contested as emotional abuse to their children.

'Trophy kids' was an up to snuff documentary reviewing the life of children and adolescents whose lives are being influenced by sport and their over-the-top-sport-parents. This is an unusual film. You wont get many like this. This movie is actually going into the lives of these kids and being told from their perspective, as well as a lot of it being told from the parents perspective. This documentary is unusual , not only because its talking about an unusual topic , but because it is actually going into the lives of the kids in great detail.

It can also be a rather blue movie, since the parents are going over-the-top and sometimes being unfair with their kid. Its a good documentary , because its showing the audience more or less everything they want to know about their lives and not missing out anything. It is made really well , going from one kids life to another, and at the end finishing it off with a touching ending. There is a big message in this documentary(that is why it is a good movie to watch). When you watch it, you will have to figure out that message for yourself.

One of the most depressing movies I have seen. LEAVE COACHING TO THE COACHES. The level of incompetence shown by the parents is unbelievable. They have killed their kids childhood and their relationship with their children for the sake of trying to achieve their own unfulfilled dreams. HAVING A KID DOES NOT MAKE YOU A COACH !!!!!! AND IT SURE AS HELL DOES NOT MAKE YOU A GOOD PARENT. Watch how the golf coach interacted with the little girl, watch how much better the basketball kid played without his dad there. There it was in black and white.

One of the most disturbing films I've ever seen about our sports-centric culture. I think even VInce Lombardi would say there is no victory in the tragic American families portrayed in this documentary. The filmmakers do a superb job of capturing candid moments of very twisted adults pretending to do what's best for their children. One blames it on God's will, and the rest are simply out for a scholarship or a Tiger Woods payday. The bottom line is not one of them is a competent parent, nor are they raising individuals who will be very beneficial to society. The day these poor kids are put on the bench, or miss a put, or drop a pass they will lose their purpose in life, according to their parents. No kidding. You have to see this film, and realize these middle class adults naively allowed their misguided and myopic behavior to be fully documented, to appreciate how out of touch these parents are with reality.