This inspiring "Game" follows an all-too familiar formula
The game may stand tall, but the movie doesn't. There's no doubting that the real story of legendary California high school coach Bob Ladouceur is an inspiring one, after all he took his team to an unmatched winning streak in all of sports, he just needs a better one than "When the Game Stands Tall." Well-cast and peppered with a few compelling moments, the formula is so well-worn and predictable you may know the outcome well before the end of the movie. The movie tells the inspiring story of high school football coach Ladouceur (played by "Person of Interest's" Jim Caviezel), who along with his assistant coach Terry Eidson (Michael Chiklis of "The Shield") and the support of his wife Bev (Laura Dern), took the De La Salle High School Spartans from obscurity to a 151-game winning streak over 20 years. When the streak is broken, he must teach his players the true meaning of sportsmanship and life. Directed by Thomas Carter, who handled another real-life sports film, "Coach Carter," with Samuel L. Jackson, "When the Game Stands Tall" is a crowd-pleasing film, designed for those looking for a little inspiration. There's nothing wrong with that, except this "Game," which is based on a 2003 novel of the same name by Neil Hayes, is filled with all-too familiar sports movie cliches: endless training montages, uplifting speeches about life, tragedies and of course, many great last-second plays that seem to only happen in movies. It also seems a little limited in scope, focusing only on a single season and a couple of games that were lost (albeit they did break the streak) and lacking the passion or excitement that comes with these types of movies. Caviezel is serviceable as Ladocuceur (who has since retired and also cameos in the film as an assistant) though he seems too passive when more energy is needed, yet in contrast those well-constructed football games add some texture to the movie. Unlike the empty but pleasantly uplifting "When the Game Stands Tall," Bob Ladocuceur was an amazing coach who left his mark on the game, and this one real story that was much more inspiring than the movie itself.
Wes's Grade: C+
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