What is there to say about a film so amazing and fantastic that I was literally out of breathe in shock of how great it was? Well...there's actually much to say about Undefeated, the absolutely unforgettable new football docudrama from first time feature length directors Daniel Lindsay and TJ Martin. The movie is brave in its storytelling and follows some of the most likable people you will see in a documentary or a work of fiction.
The film follows Bill Courtney, an incredibly caring coach who obviously loves his team-The Manassas Tigers. In fact, one of the best parts about this film is that, even as he's yelling at his team in a very harsh tone, he's obviously doing it out of love for his team. The film also follows the team members-primarily OC, Money, and Chavis. Each of these characters have their own thing that makes them truly remarkable. At one point toward the end of the film, two of these interact in such a way that it will bring a tear to your eye. I won't say which two team members it was-I will just say that it was during a speech in front of the whole team. If this film does not make you cry, whether it be from Courtney's love for the team, or what happens to some of these players both physically and emotionally, you my friend have no heart. The film is so excellent in portraying these kids and the coach and bringing them to life that you will never, and I mean never forget these four men. Also, there is a subplot about how Courtney has a family of his own and how he wants to spend more time with them, but can't due to coaching. This subplot alone makes Undefeated worth seeing but there's so much more boiling in the pot.
Considering how little you get paid as a high school football coach and yet how many hours you put in, there has to be something more than just dollar signs there. That is, you have to care about your team. Undefeated is not a film that does this to Courtney for movie's sake. If you meant Courtney in real life before this film even started getting made, he would definitely tell you that he loves his job. How do I know? Well, I've never meant the guy but it shows so much here that I have to believe that his six and a half years of coaching at Manassas truly meant something to him.
(5 out of 5 Stars, the film is rated PG-13 for some language, but it's definitely a film your whole family should check out, and there's only one or two pieces of language throughout the whole film)
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