Full Ride (2002)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Mark Hoeger

Writers (WGA):

George Mills (written by) and
Don Winslow (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Matt Sabo is a talented high school graduating senior who is picked to play in the state all-star high school football game...

Cast

Meredith Monroe	...	Amy Lear
Riley Smith	...	Matt Sabo
Bob Cady	...	Coach Perry
Jonathan Wayne Wilson	...	Coach Neuberger (as Johnathan Wilson)
Mario Foxbaker	...	Alstrom
Michael Callahan Jr.	...	Decker
Michael Sayers	...	Hayes
Michael Brooks Jr.	...	Mayweather
Rob Kunkel	...	Norrie (as Bob Kunkel)
Zachariah Barrientos	...	Thornton
Jade Dixon	...	Terri
Sagan Lewis	...	Matt's Mom
Patricia Kies	...	Amy's Mom
Mark Famiglietti	...	Travis
Kevin Cabral	...	Murtaugh

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, including dialogue.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Blair, Nebraska, USA

Company:

Oberon Entertainment

Excellent Effort!

A talented high school graduating senior with a bad attitude is forced to play in the state all-star high school football game. When he meets and falls for an attractive local girl she helps him realize he has a shot at a 'full ride' scholarship if he plays well.

All too often, these dramas fall into formulaic traps and tell the same old story of a troubled and confused teen. FULL RIDE's Matt Sabo certainly fits this profile, but below the surface is a much more unique individual than we usually see in this genre. Matt is the center of the action and he is a realistic teenager, both over-confident and vulnerable, optimistic and cynical by turns. Influenced by Amy, Matt grows into a man of character and heart. He, in turn, forms friendships with his teammates, which influences his growth as an athlete and as a team player.

FULL RIDE has all the elements we love to see in a movie--great acting, admirable characters, exciting sports scenes, poignant drama, and a love story. Still, while one may have seen these elements in other films, FULL RIDE is assisted by performances that are sincere and occasionally, even moving. Perhaps what's most impressive about FULL RIDE is its sense of reality. Although the author of the previous comment would seem to disagree, (clearly a disgruntled student who, for quite obvious reasons, received a poor grade in his film class) director Mark Hoeger grounds the film in a believable situation and location and does a great job of getting down to the grit of what life is like in a small town. These characters are real people rooted in realistic situations, which often create the most compelling entertainment. On one level it is a love story, on another it is a character study, and yet another it is a simple football film. All of these ideas come together to form a cohesive vehicle.