2.5/4  Gridiron Gang
Gridiron Gang is an unsuccessful mix between The Little Giants and The Longest Yard. Here is a true story that is worth putting on the big screen, but it's not done right. It is inspiration and funny, but it suffers from a slow ending and ... (read full)

3/4  An inspirational story which is worth seeing
"Sean Porter" (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) is a councilor of a Los Angeles juvenile detention center. He, and fellow councelor "Malcom Moore (Xzibit), are tired of seeing kids leaving -- then returning to the detention center.

One day, ... (read full)

5/5 Great movie
  by E. Urriola (Nevada USA)
I'm not a huge fan of football movies, but this one goes beyond that. It has its cliched moments, but overall, it has a wonderful message. And the fact that it's based on real events is even better. A movie I think everyone should see.

5/5 A very good movie about an important real-time subject
  by Panda Puppy (Sacramento, CA)
Dwayne Johnson did a very nice, sincere job in this part. The movie was a very believable, accurate portrayal of the subject matter.

5/5 Gridiron Gang
  by Nellie Adaba (Mamaroneck, New York United States)
Great uplifting movie on a true story. I'm disappointed to find out that the cheerleaders were added in the movie just for comic relief. In the actual story they never had any cheerleaders. Just saw it this week. Now I need to see the documentary whenever it comes out.

4/5 Gridiron Gang Satisfies
  by D. D. Ziegler (Rifle, CO United States)
While the Gridiron Gang, like most sports movies, has game sequences that are unrealistic, the story is compelling enough to carry the movie. The acting is good and believable, and you end up caring for the characters. Inspirational and thought-provoking. Coarse language may make it inappropriate for younger viewers.

4/5 Profound and emotionally powerful
  by Jason (Backwater, Alabama)
First and foremost, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is incredibly believable in Gridioron Gang. The role is not a big stretch for Johnson considering his history as a child with a distant father (Johnson's father was often away wrestling professionally), and as a former football player. It should come as no surprise that he completely nails the part, playing the role of Sean Porter perfectly; so much so, in fact, that the actual documentary footage of the real Porter was a near mirror image of Johnson's portrayal of Porter in the movie.

Sean Porter (Johnson) is a former football player turned counselor at a juvenile detention center. The job is daunting enough, especially considering that nearly 75% of those leaving the facility end up as repeat offenders at one time or another after their release. Porter sought to encourage the young men, show them that they have inner-strength, worth, and that they were actually winners in the game of life, not the losers that ended up in the facility.

The movie is full of cliches, and it's about as predictable as a sunrise. It's the typical underdogs-achieve-excellence-through-adversity-and-teamwork story. It's formulaic, and just like countless other sports movies. The difference, however, is that this movie has incredible heart. Johnson exudes powerful yet gentle emotion as the fatherly, caring, football coach who uses tough-love and the bonding of football to bring about both football and character results.

There are a handful of genuinely touching scenes, and I'll admit that it got a bit dusty while watching. My allergies were really acting up during the scene that the players buy flowers for Porter's ailing mother.

Gridiron Gang is well worth the watch. Despite the fact that I knew the entire movie by the time I heard the beginning, I still enjoyed it immensely.