Upbeat underdog soccer tale scores with positive messaging.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Little Angels is an upbeat underdog soccer comedy that was written and directed by star Dean Cain. The film (slide)-tackles issues like sexism and discrimination in sports while keeping the story bouncy and light, with a feel-good formula for kids and families. A Taser/stun gun is used on a character, a gun is shown (but not used), and there's some bullying and a couple of mild soccer injuries. Expect a few moments of iffy language and innuendo played for laughs—like calling a character who's named Richard "Dick" and using lines like "coconuts" and "ball buster" throughout the film. "Damn," "hell," "sucks," "idiots," and other similar words are also heard occasionally. Alcohol is shown but not consumed on-screen. The movie has clear themes of teamwork, perseverance, and the idea that there's more to life than winning.
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Products & Purchases
some
Featured brands include Little Caesars pizza, Cappelli Sports-branded soccer gear, Great Wolf Lodge, Sun Chips, VRBO, Topo Chico.
Violence & Scariness
a little
A character is hit in the face by a soccer ball (resulting in facial bruising and a bandage), and there's pushing, shoving, kicking, and hair pulling. One mild soccer injury; nothing serious shown. Bullying between kids. One character is hit with Taser/stun gun to the neck in a scene that's mostly played for laughs. Threats of Taser/stun gun use. A gun in a hip holster is seen on camera but never used.
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Characters kiss, flirt, and hold hands briefly. Verbal references to "ball buster" and "coconuts." One verbal reference to a drink as being "virgin." One line that could be seen as innuendo: "Want to know what I do when I'm alone?"
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Infrequent language includes one use of "damn," one "hell," and two uses of "sucks," along with repeatedly referring to a character named Richard by the nickname "Dick." Other words include "farts," "ball buster," and (somewhat suggestively) "coconuts," plus occasional name-calling ("idiots," "jerks," "losers," "rejects," etc.), "stupid," and a few uses of "oh my gosh."
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A bar scene shows drinks being poured but never consumed. Scene of a child with an almost empty margarita glass on the table beside her; she delivers the punchline of "but don't worry, it's virgin."
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Life is more than winning—it's about having someone to share those wins with. Grit, hard work, and dedication pay off. Girls can succeed, both in sports and in life. Cheating never wins. Just be you. Be honest. Themes of teamwork, perseverance, being a good sport, and humility.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Jake Rogers starts out as egotistical and sexist but eventually overcomes his prejudices and learns a little humility and respect for women and girls, both in sports and in life. Charlie Martin is a hardworking mom who's overcoming gender discrimination in the workplace to climb the corporate ladder. She loves her daughter and wants to see her succeed on her soccer team. The Little Angels players are typical tweens, but they all end up using their strengths to work together as a team, learning, growing, and becoming a family.
Diverse Representations
a little
Writer-director and star Dean Cain is multiracial (he's of Japanese, Welsh, Irish, and French Canadian descent); co-stars Helena Mattsson and Carla Jimenez are Swedish and Costa Rican and Mexican respectively. Film highlights the issue of sexism in sports and works to counter that by featuring women in traditionally male-dominated sports roles, as well as powerful corporate positions. Tween girls on the team represent a range of races, body types, and abilities, though many characterizations lack depth and can be seen as somewhat stereotypical—such as an adopted Asian girl who's small and quiet, Latina girls who are loud and good at playing soccer, and taller/bigger girls who tend to bully others.
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Educational Value
very little
Positive social-emotional lessons about the value of teamwork, humility, and personal growth.
When suspended college football coach Jake Rogers (Dean Cain) is sentenced to community service in LITTLE ANGELS, he's forced to coach a ragtag soccer team of 12-year-old girls. In the process, he ends up learning a little bit about humility and teamwork and managing some personal growth.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say :Not yet rated
Kids say :Not yet rated
This feel-good soccer story (slide)-tackles some big issues while inspiring cheers for the ragtag gang of underdog tween girls at its heart. Cain's fans will love seeing Clark Kent/Superman in the wholesome role of Jake, an egotistical, sexist character who ultimately overcomes his own prejudices, gets in touch with his feminine side, and learns a little humility.
That said, many of the characters in Little Angels feel somewhat typecast and stereotypical/one-note (not uncommon for a kids' film, but still a bit disappointing). The branding is a little heavy, and the almost two-hour runtime feels long, with some redundant scenes. But the story's inclusivity, teamwork themes, and positive messages about combating sexism, racism, and bullying help make this soccer movie kid-friendly.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of inspiring sports films. Why do you think that viewers love rooting for underdogs? How does Little Angels compare to other sports films that you've seen?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Christie Cronan
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
