Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Girl-powered sports film is predictable but sweet.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Longshots
What's the Story?
Middle-schooler Jasmine Plummer (Keke Palmer) is far from popular in her small, working-class town. She's frequently ridiculed by the school's mean girls, and she doesn't have any extracurricular interests besides reading. When she needs an afternoon sitter while her mom puts in extra hours at the local diner, Jasmine's unemployed Uncle Curtis (Ice Cube) is the only man for the job. Bored, the duo starts hanging out by a football field, where Curtis discovers that his niece has a great throw. After weeks of teaching a reluctant Jasmine football basics, Curtis convinces the Pop Warner coach (Matt Craven) to let her try out for quarterback. She's a natural, of course. The rest of the movie (which was based on a true story) focuses on how Jasmine unexpectedly leads the team to victory.
Is It Any Good?
The film has shortcomings, but director Fred Durst has studied the feel-good formula enough to make audiences root for the home team, even if the result isn't a true touchdown.
Nearly every inspiring "first" in sports has already been turned into a movie. But even though there's no originality left in the genre, Palmer and Ice Cube are charming enough to lift LONGSHOTS slightly above the after-school special benchmark. Palmer, who nailed her breakthrough performance in Akeelah and the Bee, is older but still enchanting as the first female quarterback in Pop Warner history. She's a lovely young actress and deserves meatier roles than this fluffy football tale offers. Cube isn't as believable as a down-and-out borderline alcoholic, but once the football lessons start, he's much more at ease.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes Jasmine a good role model. What other positive (or negative) role models did you notice in the movie? Kids: What do you think about girls playing football? Should they be allowed to play on boys' teams if there aren't enough girls to form a separate league? Families can also discuss whether sports movies are too predictable and tear-jerking -- or whether that's just what you want in this kind of film.
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 20, 2008
- On DVD or streaming : December 1, 2008
- Cast : Dash Mihok , Ice Cube , Keke Palmer
- Director : Fred Durst
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Weinstein Co.
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Run time : 94 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some thematic elements, mild language and brief rude humor.
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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