Official Movie Website Theatrical Release 09/15/06 Home Video Not Available MPAA Rating Rated PG-13 for some startling scenes of violence, mature thematic material and language Running Time 2 hours Genre Drama, Sports Director Phil Joanou Writer Jeff Maguire Cast Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, Kevin Dunn, Leon Rippy, Danny Martinez, Mo, Trever O'Brien, Six Reasons, Brandon Smith, Jade Yorker, Robert Zepeda, Michael Jace, Bill Smitrovich Studio Columbia Pictures |
GRIDIRON GANG
SYNOPSIS
It begins as an idea born out of frustration.
Perplexed and appalled by the alarmingly rate of
recidivism (as high as 75 percent) among his
troubled young charges at Camp Kilpatrick,
probation officer Sean Porter (Dwayne “The Rock”
Johnson) and his colleague Malcolm Moore (Xzibit)
are desperately looking for a way to lift these young
men out of the desperate circumstances that landed
them at the maximum security juvenile compound.
Most have been convicted of crimes within their
communities in and around Los Angeles, and are
now forced to live together in an atmosphere of
mutual distrust and outright hatred. The multi-racial
group's forced truce often explodes into violence.
Camp Kilpatrick is seen by the judicial system as a
last chance for these youths before incarceration in
California Youth Authority, where they will
experience the horrors of adult life in lockup. Getting
these wards of the county to care about themselves
and their lives has been a thankless task for even
the most dedicated counselors like Porter and
Moore. Too many of the young men in their care
have gone back out into the world only to end up in
prison or, far too often, meet a violent end before
they can reach adulthood.
It begins as an idea born out of frustration.
Perplexed and appalled by the alarmingly rate of
recidivism (as high as 75 percent) among his
troubled young charges at Camp Kilpatrick,
probation officer Sean Porter (Dwayne “The Rock”
Johnson) and his colleague Malcolm Moore (Xzibit)
are desperately looking for a way to lift these young
men out of the desperate circumstances that landed
them at the maximum security juvenile compound.
Most have been convicted of crimes within their
communities in and around Los Angeles, and are
now forced to live together in an atmosphere of
mutual distrust and outright hatred. The multi-racial
group's forced truce often explodes into violence.
Camp Kilpatrick is seen by the judicial system as a
last chance for these youths before incarceration in
California Youth Authority, where they will
experience the horrors of adult life in lockup. Getting
these wards of the county to care about themselves
and their lives has been a thankless task for even
the most dedicated counselors like Porter and
Moore. Too many of the young men in their care
have gone back out into the world only to end up in
prison or, far too often, meet a violent end before
they can reach adulthood.
© 2003 St. Louis Movie Review Weekly. All rights reserved, except where indicated.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
| ST. LOUIS MOVIE REVIEW WEEKLY |
As a teenager, Porter overcame his own personal problems to become a firstrate high-school football
player. He wonders if the lessons he learned through discipline and team spirit could be applied to these
young men and help them overcome the hopelessness they feel. He and Moore cobble together a team,
the Camp Kilpatrick Mustangs, from among the residents of the facility, some of whom are eager to play,
and others who are resistant.
Porter's plan is met with immediate skepticism from camp director Paul Higa (Leon Rippy) and his
assistant, Dexter (Kevin Dunn), as well as from football coaches at the surrounding high schools who are
opposed to hosting convicted felons on their playing fields.
The prospective team members share a distressingly similar upbringing, marked by abuse, chronic
poverty and gang warfare. Willie (Jade Yorker), an African-American, recently lost a family member to
gang violence. Kenny (Trever O'Brien), a Caucasian, came from a broken home. And 17-year-old Junior
(Setu Taase), a young man from Samoa, has already fathered a two-year-old boy.
Porter and Moore strive diligently to gain the trust of the team members. Slowly, through their unstinting
dedication, the young men start to overcome their petty differences and commit to regular football
practice, despite a myriad of factors, including the fact that the camp field is little more than a rock-
strewn pasture, that there is no money for equipment, that practice often conflicts with their school
classes and brings down the enmity of the other inmates who are not part of the team, which ignites
violent outbursts landing key players in solitary confinement for days at a time.
Nonetheless, some of the team members begin to demonstrate special abilities. Willie has a gift for
running the football. Calvin (David Thomas) has the ability to tackle any runner — especially Willie, since
they come from warring gangs in South Central L.A. Madlock (James Earl III) is a natural lineman, while
Kenny has the good hands of a receiver. Others like Bug (Brandon Mychal Smith) and Evans (Jamal
Mixon) are to lend their support as team managers.
As the team progresses through drills on the hot and dusty makeshift gridiron, there are setbacks to be
sure. Junior is seriously injured and the loss of his leadership is deeply felt. Willie and Calvin continue to
scrap and wind up in solitary confinement. Even Coach Porter suffers a serious loss after his mother's
health spirals irreversibly downward.
Porter and Moore finally break through, however, and manage to convince one high school coach after
another to play them. When the Camp Kilpatrick Mustangs prove themselves to be worthy adversaries,
they earn enough trust to be allowed to travel beyond the locked gates of their Santa Monica Mountains
prison. Through a season that tests their minds and bodies, the players learn self-respect and respect for
each other. With that comes the realization that their lives are not hopeless and desperate, that if they
can reach the regional championship game, it may only be the first of many accomplishments about
which they can dare to dream. -- © Sony Pictures
player. He wonders if the lessons he learned through discipline and team spirit could be applied to these
young men and help them overcome the hopelessness they feel. He and Moore cobble together a team,
the Camp Kilpatrick Mustangs, from among the residents of the facility, some of whom are eager to play,
and others who are resistant.
Porter's plan is met with immediate skepticism from camp director Paul Higa (Leon Rippy) and his
assistant, Dexter (Kevin Dunn), as well as from football coaches at the surrounding high schools who are
opposed to hosting convicted felons on their playing fields.
The prospective team members share a distressingly similar upbringing, marked by abuse, chronic
poverty and gang warfare. Willie (Jade Yorker), an African-American, recently lost a family member to
gang violence. Kenny (Trever O'Brien), a Caucasian, came from a broken home. And 17-year-old Junior
(Setu Taase), a young man from Samoa, has already fathered a two-year-old boy.
Porter and Moore strive diligently to gain the trust of the team members. Slowly, through their unstinting
dedication, the young men start to overcome their petty differences and commit to regular football
practice, despite a myriad of factors, including the fact that the camp field is little more than a rock-
strewn pasture, that there is no money for equipment, that practice often conflicts with their school
classes and brings down the enmity of the other inmates who are not part of the team, which ignites
violent outbursts landing key players in solitary confinement for days at a time.
Nonetheless, some of the team members begin to demonstrate special abilities. Willie has a gift for
running the football. Calvin (David Thomas) has the ability to tackle any runner — especially Willie, since
they come from warring gangs in South Central L.A. Madlock (James Earl III) is a natural lineman, while
Kenny has the good hands of a receiver. Others like Bug (Brandon Mychal Smith) and Evans (Jamal
Mixon) are to lend their support as team managers.
As the team progresses through drills on the hot and dusty makeshift gridiron, there are setbacks to be
sure. Junior is seriously injured and the loss of his leadership is deeply felt. Willie and Calvin continue to
scrap and wind up in solitary confinement. Even Coach Porter suffers a serious loss after his mother's
health spirals irreversibly downward.
Porter and Moore finally break through, however, and manage to convince one high school coach after
another to play them. When the Camp Kilpatrick Mustangs prove themselves to be worthy adversaries,
they earn enough trust to be allowed to travel beyond the locked gates of their Santa Monica Mountains
prison. Through a season that tests their minds and bodies, the players learn self-respect and respect for
each other. With that comes the realization that their lives are not hopeless and desperate, that if they
can reach the regional championship game, it may only be the first of many accomplishments about
which they can dare to dream. -- © Sony Pictures