“American Underdog”, which was adapted from the same-titled memoir of the quarterback, has a unique, sometime strange vibe which is attractive, even when its cause-and-effect story does not make any explanation how Warner tried to join the National Football League from far outside the usual channels, and at an older age than it was common. Simply saying, the film makes it seem like Warner turned from being an undoubtful free agent to playing stadium ball to the St. Louis Rams and a Super Bowl XXXIV success primarily on the basis of being a well-behaved and devout guy treating his loved ones well and working a monotonous and necessary job during his daily life even when he does not get into it. If that has been the case, professional sports teams around the world could be staffed exclusively with pleasant, kind players, and many of them are not in shape.
No problem. “American Underdog” was adapted and directed by the directors Andrew and John Erwin, who deliver fortunate movies for the American Christian market (such as “Mom’s Night Out” and “I Can Only Imagine”); additionally, that describes the focus and messaging. This movie talks about virtue, dedication, and faith, and the way if you own and diligently keep these qualities, you will see good things, not right off the bat, then eventually.
Even though “American Underdog” doesn’t cut down on football action — several scenes were done on an appropriately grand scale—it focuses on Kurt (Zachary Levi) and his future wife Brenda (Anna Paquin). They encounter in the early ’90s, when Kurt, who was a football player at the University of Northern Iowa, is working at a greengrocery and conveying VHS spotlight reels to recruiters, and Brenda, an Army veteran, is bringing up her legally blind, dementia son, Zack (Hayden Zaller), after her cheating husband abandoned them.
At this phase of their lives (Levi is 41, Paquin is 38), they are too old to play the characters persuasively; furthermore, they have worn unfortunate wigs; however, their chemistry is very good and both of them are excellent actors, so it is not difficult to overcome all that. A wonderful feature of this film is its refusal to transport in line with the ordered rhythms of the standard-issue sports activities pictures. From the beginning to the end, it prefers to pay attention to what’s happening outside the field. It goes back to the field only when it’s time to establish the next profession milestone, and they are only crucial as much as they influence the lives of Kurt, Brenda, and Zack. “American Underdog” talks about a couple experiencing over the years and understanding each other. It could be a distinctive approach in the sports films genre. This tends to cut down on the hero’s partner to a supportive character standing on the sidelines (or a continuously crying figure who wishes him to stop playing because of health reasons).
Early on, in a satisfying and long scene, Kurt meets Brenda at a neighborhood honky-tonk club, and then shows up at her house to give just one red rose, only to realize that she’s not staying there. He is invited to go in by Zack, who takes him by the hand. Brenda’s mother also lives there; she reveals Kurt and Zack lying side-by-side on the ground in the kitchen (as that’s what Zack desires them to do). She makes a joke that he needs to stay here to see Brenda, and she’s not scared whether he’s an intruder since no intruder lies on his back next to a blind kid on the kitchen floor. The scene is so weird (in an attractive way) which can originate from real life, and many other scenes seem like it, such as one set in freezing winter when the family’s car gets rid of fuel when running on an interstate highway; additionally, Kurt must leave them there and walk for numerous miles to get a gas can filled and walk on the same distance back. What is the relation with football? Nothing, this is a common thing happening all the time in real life, and it is never shown in movies.
Nevertheless, the issue is that “American Underdog” doesn’t ever truly connect the humble virtuousness of Kurt and Brenda to Kurt’s climb as a quarterback. The focus on central relationship is the main factor making this film distinctive among sports movies, and you would even imagine so far as that you could be able to produce an exact similar movie about a man driving a bus or managing a shoe store and achieving bus driver of the year or shoe store manager of the year, as long as you could receive funding for this kind of movie (a huge “if”). However, unluckily, if the main point were that this individual came into the profession and got a big success in spite of not being the kind of person who usually achieved within shouting distance of such a dream, it is necessary for you to bring viewers a feeling of qualities which could help him break through, rather than replicating over and over, “He was a nice guy who believed in God and was good to his girlfriend and her son.”
I comprehend that’s the factor of creating this unique movie for a unique part of the entertainment market, and I don’t know how it is going on when making such a movie, but still, it’s annoying. In that football, they don’t care whether their players are good or not; therefore, it could also be a topic for a film about faith and values.
