Movie Review: The Longshots

What do you get when you cross a gangsta rapper with the front man of a fading nu-metal band? Would you believe a movie? Probably not, but it's true. Accepting that, would you believe that said film would be a family friendly one? Again, probably not, but again it is true. That is what you have with The Longshots. It is a film that stars rapper/actor Ice Cube and was directed by Fred Durst, better known for singing about "nookie" and "breaking stuff" with Limp Bizkit. Frankly, I could not believe that Durst was directing, I couldn't, and still can't, see it. Sure, Rob Zombie has made the transition, but at least he is sticking in a genre that is in line with his music. Fred Durst directing a family film comes completely out of left field, or rather the backfield. Even more unbelievable than that is the fact it is a good movie.

The biggest thing that The Longshots has going against it is that this is nothing that we haven't seen before. Yes, it is based off of a true story, but these stories all boil down to a recognizable pattern. This is not to belittle the story, as each of them are about people who have done extraordinary things. The problem is these stories likely have a lot more to them than what makes it to the screen, but when adapting from reality to a movie that will probably run less than two hours requires that a lot of it gets stripped away, leaving the same plot beats each time out. Frankly, it gets a little ho-hum after awhile. What is necessary to save the film is the performances and quality of writing, both of which The Longshots has.

This story is the one of Jasmine Plummer (Keke Palmer), an eleven-year old girl who played Pop Warner football, taking her team to the championship game in 2003. This is notable because she was the first girl to play Pop Warner. Now, how closely this mirrors reality, I do not know. I do know that some facts such as the town where she lived and the team she played for. I am also pretty sure that what facts remain have been enhanced for dramatic effect. Although, I do not want to say too much, as this movie is more understated than I am used to seeing from the genre, making the film all the more enjoyable.

Jasmine Plummer is a smart, shy girl who has no interest in playing football, and suffers from abandonment issues, her father having left years prior. Her mother runs the local diner and is doing the best she can for her daughter, meaning that when she has to work late hours she turns to Curtis (Ice Cube), Jasmine's uncle, to watch her. He is currently unemployed, after all. That is a distinguishing characteristic of the town, the local factory closed, leading to rampant unemployment, and an all around depressive demeanor to many townsfolk, reflected in the empty storefronts along Main Street.

Anyway, the relationship between Jasmine and Curtis is a little prickly at first. Jasmine wants to take care of herself, especially after getting picked on at school, while Curtis is content to focus on getting out of town without having to look after a young girl. However, a chance toss of a football makes Curtis think his niece has some potential. He urges her to try and he ends up teaching her, and she quickly takes to it coming to really enjoy it.

Curtis approaches the coach of the Pop Warner team that he used to play for and convinces him to put her on the team. Jasmine is quickly accepted by her teammates and they are off and running, making history and bringing back a modicum of hope to the town.

It is a familiar tale, but it works and feels a little more fresh here than in other genre outings. What makes it work is the restraint with which Fred Durst approaches the material and the care exhibited by writer Nick Santora (Prison Break). Yes, you read that right. The material is not pumped up with overly dramatic moments, no family crisis, no big speeches, or injuries, nothing particularly big. It is a change of pace that brings a touch of reality to the proceedings, something that these sorts of films really need.

Ice Cube is a likable screen presence who knows how to handle himself. He delivers a fine performance here, and when you combine his work with that of Keke Palmer you have a strong emotional core. The relationship develops organically and they really work well together. If not for them, the ability to enjoy this film would drop.

Bottomline. No, not a great movie, but a good example of the inspirational sports drama. With everyone's overwhelming familiarity with the genre, it all comes down to execution, and this one is executed with a sure hand resulting in a film that is easy to watch and is better than I had expected.

Mildly Recommended.