GRIDIRON GANG

From Rocky and The Bad News Bears to Coach Carter, Hollywood history is littered with sports stories
about losers from the wrong side of the tracks who ultimately become winners on the strength of their heart,
guts and hard-nosed guidance from firm but loving mentors. In that sense, Gridiron Gang-based on the true
story of juvenile detention camp parole office Sean Porter (played by Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. The Rock)- is
hardly original, but its gritty approach elevates the material above the usual cliched ashy-to-classy fare.

The film opens by introducing us to one of Porter’s young charges, who struggles to go straight upon his release
from juvie, only to find himself slaughtered by rival gang members. When the teen’s vengeful cousin winds up
taking his place behind bars, Porter decides something must be done to provide these troubled youths with an
alternative to gang life, so he and his assistant (played by Xzibit) launch a football program in hopes of teaching
them discipline and self-esteem. “You're losers," he tells them in a pivotal early scene, describing how they lost
by trying to commit various crimes and getting caught. “But,” he assures them, if they devote themselves to his
new program and commit to the team, “by the end of the year you'll be winners.” Of course, before they can
do that they have to battle the detention center’s reluctant administration, the high school coaches who are
reluctant to allow their teams to play convicted criminals and, worst of all, their own self-defeating attitudes.

 
But even the dimmest of audience members knows that this ragtag group of teenage cons will ultimately pull it
together and prove themselves the champions Porter knew they’d be all along. Still, the predictable journey
proves gripping to watch thanks to passionate performances by Johnson and a supporting cast of relative
unknowns, all of whom bring a wealth of genuine emotion to their roles. Make sure you stick around for the end 
credits, in which portions of the original  documentary upon which Gridiron Gang was based prove how closely
the film stayed to Porter’s inspirational true story. (B) -B. Love