Parents need to know that while the on-the-field game/practice violence is typical of recent sports movies (though louder and more brutal), the film also includes street/gun violence. One scene has a player repeatedly trying to knock down his coach (an exercise designed by the coach). Two scenes show shootings with…
An early scene shows explicit effects of gunfire (fast editing, loud noise, clos
White player calls a black player the n-word, initiating an ongoing conflict; re
Products & Purchases Not presentVisible Under Armour gear, reference to Madden video games.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking Not present Sex, Romance & Nudity Not presentSome references to sexuality (brief negative allusions to homosexuality); cheerl
Juvenile detention inmates are inspired to work as a team, slamming opponents on
An early scene shows explicit effects of gunfire (fast editing, loud noise, close-up of bloody body); football action is loud and hard-hitting; some fights between inmates are aggressive; shooting near end of film comes abruptly and disturbingly; death of protagonist's mother leaves characters mournful.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
White player calls a black player the n-word, initiating an ongoing conflict; repeated uses of "s--t" (in various forms) and "ass" occasional other language ("damn," "suck it up," "bitch," "p--sy").
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Some references to sexuality (brief negative allusions to homosexuality); cheerleaders wear scant costumes; some sexual/gender slang.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Parents need to know that while the on-the-field game/practice violence is typical of recent sports movies (though louder and more brutal), the film also includes street/gun violence. One scene has a player repeatedly trying to knock down his coach (an exercise designed by the coach). Two scenes show shootings with blood, and a couple of scenes show fights between players (they're quickly broken up by adults). Characters use harsh language (especially the n-word and "s--t"). To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Gridiron Gang
Official trailer
Based on 1 parent review
May 30, 2020Many graphic shootings and fights. Mothers crying. Foul language and racism. The main theme is, 'we were losers, but we don't want to be losers anymore'. Its' based on a true story so the movie just may depict a terrible reality concerning the violence.
The Rock plays Sean Porter, manager of a youth detention facility. Long frustrated by a legal system that sends kids through endless cycles of violence in the streets, their homes, and their juvie blocks, Sean is moved to action when ex-inmate Roger (Michael J. Pagan) is killed in a drive-by shooting within hours of his release from Camp Kilpatrick. Sean's solution: Organize the violence into football. Though his boss, Paul (Leon Rippy), is skeptical about spending the facility's scant state-issued funds on such a body-slamming venture ("The whole system," he notes, "is designed to make them avoid contact"), Sean and his whistle-wearing assistant Malcolm (Xzibit) assemble a team of hard cases. Because they're inclined to defend their turf ("He dissed my hood!" explains one inmate following a scuffle), Sean gives them a new source of identification. "This is your hood now," he asserts, the kids gazing up at him with a mix of doubt and hope.
Punctuated by rough action scenes, GRIDIRON GANG is a familiar sports saga with kids in need of guidance and a coach in need of support from his institution. At once uplifting and banal, "based on a true story" and codified (not to say "Disneyfied"), the formula is also apparently endlessly profitable.
This time, it's also based on a 1993 documentary (clips from that film, also called Gridiron Gang, play during the closing credits and suggest that Jeff Maguire's script lifts heartfelt dialogue directly from the original speakers). The movie is also invigorated by The Rock (a.k.a. Dwayne Johnson), whose performance is simultaneously wry and warm. Charismatic as ever, he makes the movie's basic corniness slightly easier to bear.
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Gridiron GangYour privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy .
