'My All American (Courage)' brings nothing more to the table than an article you can read online. The screenplay constantly stays safe and the writing never takes a chance to create more depth to portray Freddie Steinmark in a realistic way. This is a glossed over family film, with the strong hint of bland Christian morals. There is no room for character building and change, as everyone remains flat and stale.
Any attempt of trying to add a backstory away from his football career is quickly drowned out by, well, more football. Every conversation, whether its with his family, girlfriend, or friends, is quickly shifted to football, which portrays Freddie as a robot bowing down to the game; nothing more is on his mind. His early life struggles are quickly resolved and move on to the next football task; nothing more.
Sure, we can understand that he loved football, but Angelo Pizzo does not show the effort in film-making as the real Freddie Steinmark showed for the game. Pizzo's script and direction can be equally fulfilled by reading only a single article, or skimming the SparkNotes from 'Courage Beyond the Game: The Freddie Steinmark Story' written by, Jim Dent. What we are watching in this film is the first adaptation of a screenplay, as Pizzo forgot that screen writing takes a few more drafts.
Any attempt of trying to add a backstory away from his football career is quickly drowned out by, well, more football. Every conversation, whether its with his family, girlfriend, or friends, is quickly shifted to football, which portrays Freddie as a robot bowing down to the game; nothing more is on his mind. His early life struggles are quickly resolved and move on to the next football task; nothing more.
Sure, we can understand that he loved football, but Angelo Pizzo does not show the effort in film-making as the real Freddie Steinmark showed for the game. Pizzo's script and direction can be equally fulfilled by reading only a single article, or skimming the SparkNotes from 'Courage Beyond the Game: The Freddie Steinmark Story' written by, Jim Dent. What we are watching in this film is the first adaptation of a screenplay, as Pizzo forgot that screen writing takes a few more drafts.