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Gridiron Gang

Usually when people pitch movies, the “brainy” folk will say their brilliant and unique idea is a merger between two prior movies. Well if you combine the teaching of youngsters to play the game, from Hardball, and make these youngsters a few levels down from the convicts in The Longest Yard, you get Gridiron Gang, starring The Rock, or as he’s more formally referred to now, Dwayne Johnson.

Gridiron Gang is based on a true story. In a juvenile detention center, Sean Porter (Dwayne Johnson) is a former football player turned supervisor. In the inmates, Porter sees these degenerates are misguided with distorted views of gangs and turf, and decides to intervene as he institutes a program to unify everyone and better their self-esteem. This program is football. Porter rallies everyone together as he motivates them to form a football team to play in a league. Workers and superiors back him as he shows that all aspects of football can change these youngsters’ lives.

I was actually surprised by this movie. I thought it would be like any other stupid student motivating movie, except throwing football in the mix. It was genuinely a pretty good movie. It started off strong and carried through as a nice story where a performance by Johnson shows he has promising talent. I guess football, though, and shouting is in his nature that stems from his WWE Wrestling past. Even rapper Xzibit plays one of the staff members. You would expect him to pimp your ride, but that’s far from the case. He doesn’t rap and he is quite reserved as he doesn’t try to do too much, making for a suitable performance that enhances the cast.

However, certain parts of the movie were a bit over the top. When the head superior of the detention facility decides to shut down the program, the kids, for the first time, really unite and stand together. In addition, when one player says he’ll go long and the boss throws a souring pass that blends into the next scene in a game time situation, it becomes a little far-fetched. Certain scenes like these just make you say, “Give me a break.” As far as a football movie goes, it has its moments that make you sympathize and root for the team of straggling delinquents.

Written by: John Berkowitz

Reviewers Rating: 6
Reader's Rating: 7.00
Reader's Votes: 1

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