Gridiron Gang - Review

I think that this movie is inspiring because for me to personally think that once you make one mistake that you have ruined your whole life,now I know that I was wrong. Its like a life changing storyMy favorite part of the gridiron gang was when willie and that other boy came to a peace because I fell like if one or two people start putting there problems behind them than other people can start putting there differences behind then this world can be some what peaceful.Willie was so cutei mean so so cute.

the movie was just great hated at the end they didnt really show you what went down but A+

I taught the movie was great just because they put people like Jade Yorker (willie whethers) in IT. I think he is so fine made the movie extra specially lickable and kissable.

I saw the movie today with my sisters and I thought it was great. Sure it's a typical story line such as Remember the Titans and Friday Night Lights but some of us are forgetting the most important part in the film - Porter trying to help these kids when the system itself failed. The Rock did a good job, at times his acting was melodramatic but over all good performance as well as Xhibit's. I don't find much fault with this film and I totally disagree with some of Josh Tyler's critic about the film, but everyone is entitled to their opinions. We all just don't have to agree with it.

I work at a detention center as a teacher, and I thought Gridiron Gang was a great movie. The only thing I think that they missed in this film is to portray the kids as kids. They do pretty good at that when the kids are on the outside, but inside, the kids are still kids. There are two sides to every story, some kids do get caught up in what's going on around them, like the ones in the movie. And some keep coming back to detention. I'd say the 75% stats are pretty close in my facility. The fighting and gang affiliation, and things on the outside carrying over to the inside is very accurate. Its about time movies claiming to shed light on social problems started looking at more real trends in society.

Josh I feel sorry for you... YOU MISSED IT. I'm not surprised, you showed your bias in you first paragraph by characterizing these kids as "a bunch of little bastards."
You infer that the coach was doing this for himself when you say "Sean gets to stroke his incomplete football dreams ...", which is completely off base. Don't be jealous just cause you are afraid to work with kids who have made mistakes and are in need of leadership and direction.
As a movie critic you really failed to appreciate the work The Rock did in this film as an actor. You want him to stay in the roles as an action hero when in Gridiron Gang he shows that he has developed as an actor. Hopefully one day you can develop as a writer and critic.
I have seen the movie 3 times and got something different out of it each time. I'm seeing it again tonight. I encourage you to see it again. Perhaps when you're not rushed to meet a deadline and can really take it in for what it is.

I spent the summer of the real Gridiron Gang substitute teaching at Kilpatrick. I knew the real guys - probation, teachers, students - and the film is the real deal. NOTHING is black and white, cut and dry, or easy to explain. What kills me is that the dialogue is word for word what was said when the original documentary was filmed and the actors are eerily like the real guys. If you want to see what it is really like in the juvenile justice system, check out this film. GREAT JOB, and I hate poseurs Josh Taylor, just ask any of my thug students.

Josh taylor, how did you see the movie if it didn't come out in theater's yet?

Your review was pretty ignorant and stereotypical. Sure The Rock spent most of his life wrestling, does that mean he should star in nothing but action fight movies? Believe it or not but wrestlers have a lot more than a rock hard body, and they can do a lot more than just throw a punch or two.

There was nothing wrong with the end credits, the end credits was an interesting touch as well as unique. Many "based on" films do not show actual material, and it impressed me how much the film was based on the real life event. Hollywood didn't overexaggerate on this "based on" film.

I'm sorry you feel like it was a Disney film, because you were probably paying too much attention to something another movie. *coughs* Titans!

The movie had no direction? I don't if you hate wrestlers or what, but drop your personal bias and judge the movie fairly. I rate your review as Poor.

I just went to watch this movie in theater for its premier. Hey, it's a great movie. It's one of a few movies out there that deliver positive messages. The whole theater was full of cheers and claps after the movie ended. I don't think a lot of movies got this kind of treatment from audience. I think the audience has served the movie a justice no matter how Mr. Tyler disagreed. For those who haven't watched this movie yet, I totally encourage you to do so despites what Mr. Tyler said.

Whether or not the real people this movie is based on are nice people, or were totally rehabilitated has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not THIS movie works.

How nice it was to work on the set or how much you like these actors or how nice they were to you or how great the food service was while filming also has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I'm all for different opinions, but not from poeple who haven't even seen the movie yet have already made up their minds whether or not it will be any good based on factors that have absolutely nothing to do with whether or not this is a good film.

Well i have the honor of knowing one of the characters in the movie "junior" and i feel if you knew one of these guys and and knew the real story behind there life most people would say the football program at the facility worked enough to change even some of these kids then it is a success. Alot of these kids are lost and know no other way then thier environment or the parents don't care about them, so i feel what Sean Porter did is great because i know the affect he had on "junior" and the man i know is a respectful and good hearted person who was just lost with no sense of direction and Sean Porter showed him the right direction. So to those of you don't agree ,sorry if i am "sympathetic", and the movie is great we should all walk away feeling inspired.

I had the pleasure of being at the Hollywood opening for Gridiron Gang last night (I sat next to Kevin Dunn during the viewing) and I was very impressed with the movie. If you watch closely enough you can see the characters in the story change right before your very eyes, even if only a little. The story was ok, the action was better but the message was on-point for this pictures target audience. I liked it.

Eek! A louse! I've been hearing about this movie for a long time. I know people who worked on it and say it's terrific -- several cuts above the standard inspirational sorts movie. I personally can't wait. And I think Mr. Tyler should 1) not damn an actor for trying to be serious, and 2) learn to spell "eke."

Why are you sure? Because you blindly like anything he does?

I've actually given good reviews to many of The Rock's other movies.

For instance:

Be Cool

I really liked The Rundown and Walking Tall as well.

So let's not try to make The Rock out to be some sort of critical matyr here. He gets respect on Cinema Blend. However in this case, the movie is simply bad.

Why am I not surprised that someone would completely trash a Rock movie? I have not seen this movie yet, but Im sure when I do my opinions will be much different then yours.

Way to go Josh, by hating a Rock movie you've mysteriously contributed to the downfall of society. ROFL!!!

I haven't seen the movie, but Josh Tyler's review comes across as heartless and cold. The movie aside, there's a reason a 16-year old (or however old the juvenile might be) picked up the gun and shot his - key word coming up - ABUSIVE stepfather. He's not 35, and he didn't go shoot some stranger. Like I said, I didn't see the movie, but when you're 16, you're still a child. Kids don't just appear out of thin air, and just because they're born with a core personality doesn't mean they're born fully-developed. Tyler said that the stepfather was abusive. I don't know if he means abusive to the child, or to the child's mother. IMO, there's not a whole lot of difference when it comes to the impact on the child. Picture a child, and picture that child's mother being beaten, choked, or whatever that sack of garbage is doing to her. Picture that child watching as it happens. Do you have any idea what kind of anger that's going to build up in a child? What kind of rage? Helplessness? The helplessness creates more rage. It just might be enough to make a child - a CHILD, who doesn't even have the coping, or reasoning mechanisms, or the ability to fully comprehend consequences, of an adult - decide to take a little power into his own hands and get revenge on the scum that beat his mother. I'm not saying it's right, but if you look only at the act and not what caused the act, you can do absolutely no good for anybody. As for the plot of the movie, that's what Sean Porter did. He saw the children for what they could be, and tried to help them get there. I know people who have very good hearts, who are still growing up and are in need of guidance that they aren't going to get because people like Josh Tyler are "just not that sympathetic". Whether or not the movie's good, there's something here Tyler is missing the mark on. Something big.

Josh Tyler's review captures the content--but misses the INTENT of Gridiron Gang. What Mr. Tyler fails to recognize in what he calls "where are they now" credits is the devotion to honesty. The film's creators are sending the message that they understand Football is not the perfect fix. There were some success stories (significantly more than can be anticipated from the overall juvenile detention facility). There were also some failures. The movie is not about Gangsters Remembering the Titians; it is about a real corrections officer who found a way to make a difference in the lives of a few kids society had given up on. Duane "The Rock" Johnson delivers a believable performance as "Coach" Shaun Porter. Demonstrating a desire to help those who have been deemed "un-helpable" comes with a cost though...The Rock's character finds out that he must slay some dragons of his own if he stands a chance of playing hero to these gang bangers. The dying mother piece could have gone away--with more emphasis (and perhaps closure) on forgiveness and reconcilliation of his father, but sometimes we live with such plot irregularities when we follow the stories of real people. If Shaun's mother was ill when his first prison team took to the field...then it remains part of his story. I'll buy the DVD!