The Winning Season (2009)

User Rating:

8.8/10   

Director:

James C. Strouse

Writer (WGA):

James C. Strouse (written by)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A comedy centered on a has-been coach who is given a shot at redemption when he's asked to run his local high school's girls basketball team. |

Cast

Stephanie Beltz	...	Van Hunt basketball player
Brian Berrebbi	...	Bill's Manager
James Thomas Bligh	...	Prairie Hill Assistant Coach-John Casey
Kevin Breznahan	...	Joel
Rod Brogan	...	Rick
Franco Bulaon	...	Mexican Gang member
E.J. Carroll	...	Male Announcer
JR Carter	...	Basketball Game Spectator
Sara Chase	...	Outback Waitress
Gary Cherkassky	...	Joel
Caitlin Colford	...	Trish
Lisa Chiariello Coons	...	Basketball game spectator
Rob Corddry	...	Terry Schemerhorn
Shana Dowdeswell	...	Molly
Shareeka Epps	...	Lisa
Amy Garay	...	Basketball Game Spectator
Stefanie Grassley	...	New Rome Cheerleader
Melissa Graver	...	New Rome's Forward
Janis Grossman	...	Basketball game spectator
Pamela Guthrie	...	Grandma Tilly
Cassie Hansen	...	New Rome Cheerleader
Maura Ruth Hashman	...	Littleton Basketball Player
Jessica Hecht
Melanie Hinkle	...	Mindy
Ed Jewett	...	Semi-Finals Announcer
Ingrid Johnson	...	Tamra's Mom
Anna Kuchma	...	Basketball Game Spectator
Lynn Lamanno	...	Mindy & Wendy's Mom (as Lynn Bily)
Jonathan Lang	...	Knights' Mascot / 'Corn Mascot
Ken Limbach	...	Basketball Game Spectator
Rooney Mara	...	Wendy
Margo Martindale	...	Donna
Ralph Meyer	...	Mindy & Wendy's Dad
Ella Mische	...	Missy - Van Hunt Basketball Player
Ashley Nardozi	...	Cheerleader
Ella Jane New	...	Jen P.H Huskers
Mauricio Ovalle	...	Security Guard
Corinne Palermo	...	Prairie Hill Cheerleader
Connor Paolo	...	Damon
Rossella Rago	...	Mexican Gang member
Jennifer Regan	...	Concerned young mom
Dawn Ressy	...	Basketball game spectator
Kenneth Richards	...	Plainview boys team
Emily Rios	...	Kathy
Enrique Sebastian Rivas	...	Mexican Gang member
Clifford Rivera	...	Mexican Gang Member
Emma Roberts	...	Abby
Sam Rockwell	...	Bill
Celeste Rojas	...	Basketball Game Spectator
Daniel B. Roy	...	Simon
Torie Sanders	...	Prairie Hill basketball player
Brooke Sidkoff	...	Cindy
Clarke Thorell	...	Prairie Hill Coach - Derek Springer
Meaghan Witri	...	Tamra

Runtime:

Germany:119 min (European Film Market)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Gigi Productions

It's a Winner!

Just got back from seeing the premiere of The Winning Season at Sundance 09' and couldn't be more thrilled to report back that we have a winner.

The basic elements of the story are familiar; down in out coach finds a second chance with a bunch of scrubs and you know the rest. The Winning Season isn't groundbreakingly different from its ancestors, but just enough in all the right places to make this "dramedy" a very rewarding viewing. Audiences familiar with typical indie fare, will find that The Winning Season is indeed cut from an indie mold. The Winning Season does not gloss over the coach's failures, his abusiveness or the realities of the steep obstacles he faces. This is a good thing though, because being able to see the dark nature of the human condition makes the successes all that much more enjoyable. The strength of the The Winning Season is in its balances and ultimately the director/writers decision to allow humor and healing to be the driving force as the movie plays out. Far too often indie films allow their depressive themes to run rampant in what appears to be an effort to increase anti-depressant sales. There a lot of folks who think of any movie labeled as a "dramedy" to be fluff or mainstream box office disguising itself as an indie movie, but I would beg to differ. There is always room for reality and laughter to co-exist in a uniquely indie vision, and in the end movies should be allowed to make the viewer feel rewarded. The Winning Season aims to do that, and it's pretty much hit that mark.

On to the cast, Sam Rockwell (always underrated) is right on the money with his performance that never waivers from the lead characters self destructive nature as well as delivering such wonderfully dry humor that you keep thinking to yourself why isn't this guy getting more credit for being such a great actor. The young women in the film who make up the team are terrific and give such a sweetness to each of their roles, Emma Roberts in particular is fantastically clever in her role. Also, what a bonus to have Rob Coddry of Daily Show fame, as the goofy principle he just adds the right comedic touches to the scenes between he and Rockwell. Finally James Strouse, coming off two other well received Sundance films, ups his game here and brings a very strong effort. He should have very little problem getting more gigs with this type of quality output.