Anyway, the relationship between Jasmine and Curtis is a little prickly at first. Jasmine wants to take care of herself, especially after getting picked on at school, while Curtis is content to focus on getting out of town without having to look after a young girl. However, a chance toss of a football makes Curtis think his niece has some potential. He urges her to try and he ends up teaching her, and she quickly takes to it, soon coming to really enjoy it.
Curtis approaches the coach of the Pop Warner team that he used to play for and convinces him to put her on the team. Jasmine is quickly accepted by her teammates and they are off and running, making history and bringing back a modicum of hope to the town.
It is a familiar tale, but it works and feels a little more fresh here than in other genre outings. What makes it work is the restraint with which Fred Durst approaches the material and the care exhibited by writer Nick Santora (Prison Break). Yes, you read that right. The material is not pumped up with overly dramatic moments, no family crisis, no big speeches, or injuries, nothing particularly big. It is a change of pace that brings a touch of reality to the proceedings, something that these sorts of films really need.
Ice Cube is a likable screen presence who knows how to handle himself. He delivers a fine performance here, and when you combine his work with that of Keke Palmer you have a strong emotional core. The relationship develops organically and they really work well together. If not for them, the enjoyment factor of this film would drop.
Bottom line. No, not a great movie, but a good example of the inspirational sports drama. With everyone's overwhelming familiarity with the genre, it all comes down to execution, and this one is executed with a sure hand resulting in a film that is easy to watch and is better than I had expected.
Mildly Recommended.
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