Gridiron Gang (2006)

Teenagers at a juvenile detention center, under the leadership of their counselor, gain self-esteem by playing football together.

Director:

Phil Joanou

Writers:

Jeff Maguire, Jac Flanders (film "Gridiron Gang")

Stars:

Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, L. Scott Caldwell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dwayne Johnson	...	Sean Porter (as Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson)
Xzibit	...	Malcolm Moore
L. Scott Caldwell	...	Bobbi Porter
Leon Rippy	...	Paul Higa
Kevin Dunn	...	Ted Dexter
Jade Yorker	...	Willie Weathers
David V. Thomas	...	Kelvin Owens (as David Thomas)
Setu Taase	...	Junior Palaita
Mo McRae	...	Leon Hayes (as Mo)
James Earl	...	Donald Madlock (as James Earl III)
Trever O'Brien	...	Kenny Bates
Brandon Mychal Smith	...	Bug Wendal
Jurnee Smollett-Bell	...	Danyelle Rollins (as Jurnee Smollett)
Michael J. Pagan	...	Roger Weathers
Jamal Mixon	...	Jamal Evans

Storyline

In the Kilpatrick juvenile detention center, the supervisor and former football player Sean Porter sees the lack of discipline, self-esteem, union and perspective in the teenage interns and proposes to prepare a football team to play in one league. He is supported by his superiors and his successful experience changes the lives of many young kids.

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Plot Keywords:

hood | football | football team | football coach | football practice | 

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Taglines:

One goal. A second chance.

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some startling scenes of violence, mature thematic material and language

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

La vida en juego

Filming Locations:

Agoura High School - 28545 W. Driver Avenue, Agoura Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,414,630, 17 September 2006

Gross USA:

$38,432,823

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$41,480,851

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Industries, Original Film, Visual Arts Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Mustangs logo is the same as the running horse of the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders; the team that Dwayne Johnson previously had a tryout with as a defensive tackle in 1995. The Stampeders first used that logo when Metro Ford was a major sponsor and was promoting the Ford Mustang, which also has the same logo.

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Goofs

It appears that the first game and the last game were filmed at the same time. The broad-leaf trees look the same during both games.

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Quotes

Junior Palaita: I'll play.
Sean Porter: I can't use you Junior.
Junior Palaita: Why not?
Sean Porter: Because you have no discipline. You've been trying to start fights every time I turn my back.
Junior Palaita: You' ain't gonna give me a chance?
Sean Porter: You've had plenty of chances.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Comebacks (2007)

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Soundtracks

Celebration
Written by Robert Kool Bell (as Robert Bell), Ronald Bell, George Funky Brown (as George Brown),
Eumir Deodato, Robert Spike Mickens (as Robert Mickens), Claydes Smith,
, J.T. Taylor (as James Taylor), Dennis D.T. Thomas (as Dennis Thomas) and Earl Toon (as Earl Toon,
, Jr.)

User Reviews

feel good film

Gridiron Gang is based on a true story about a juvi detention center that starts a football program to help troubled kids. There's really nothing new here, idle hands are the devil's work. Kids in trouble simply don't have anything to focus on. The story is about an administrator that takes a chance on a coach who almost wrecks the program, but pulls it out with the help of the kids. This is one of those quintessential feel good films about overcoming the odds and succeeding. Some good acting and good directing with the help if some way too tight camera shots help make the film look more realistic. A class A film to make you fell good about the system.