Inspired by the true story, Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) plays high school football coach Bob Ladouceur during the season that changed everything. As coach of the Spartans Football Team, Bob always tells his players that winning doesn’t matter. Yet somehow, with the aid of assistant coach Terry Eidson (Michael Chiklis, TV’s “The Shield”), he’s led the team to a record-breaking 151 straight victories. When his wife Bev (Laura Dern, Jurassic Park) urges him to refocus on his family, Bob is blinded by the pressure to keep the streak alive. Now, in the midst of a season of crisis and tragedy when the Spartans stand to lose everything, a remarkable young player (Alexander Ludwig, The Hunger Games) helps Bob rediscover that teamwork outshines personal glory When The Game Stands Tall.

I have mixed emotions about this movie.

I enjoy sports movies, I really do.

While I really liked parts of this movie, there were other parts that bothered me, and parts that bored me.

I really liked Coach Ladouceur. I liked how he treated the players. I liked that winning wasn’t everything. I like the character that he instilled in his players.

I did not like how one of the boys’ dad really needed to be put in his place. By someone. Anyone.

I watched the movie with hubby who said he liked it, but did agree some of it was boring. I think we really had trouble following the movie in general.

Looking back, I still can’t really tell you what it was about other than the football team having an amazing record of 151-0. I guess I was looking for more substance to it all. A bigger picture. It very well could have been there and we missed it.

By no means let my opinion stop you from seeing it – maybe you will see the bigger picture (and then please come back and share).

It is definitely a movie I think I would watched a second time to see if I missed something.

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