Rated PG-13 for some language.
Directed by Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin
Maybe I’m getting older, but I’m really starting to appreciate documentaries.
Set in the inner-city of Memphis, Undefeated chronicles the Manassas Tigers’ 2009 football season, on and off-the-field, as they strive to win the first playoff game in the high school’s 110-year history. A perennial whipping boy, in recent decades Manassas had gone so far as to sell their home games to the highest bidder, but that all changed in the spring of 2004 when Bill Courtney, a former high school football coach turned lumber salesman, volunteered to lend a hand. When he arrived, the team consisted of 17 players, some timeworn equipment and a patch of grass masquerading as a practice field. Focusing more on winning young men than football games, the football program nevertheless began resurrecting itself and, in 2009, features the most talented team Manassas has ever fielded; a team that seems poised to end the playoff jinx that has plagued the school since time immemorial.
A coming-of-age documentary film, Undefeated provides audiences an intimate view of an underprivileged group of teens and their inspirational coach, as they attempt to make history.
From Rocky to Rudy, I do love a good underdog story. But when the story is true…well then you have something special. And believe me Undefeated is something special.
Documentaries have no special effects, no A-list actors and no finally tuned scripts. It is all about the story and the characters in the story. I was immediately invested in the story and it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the characters. To say I was rooting for them would be an understatement.
But this is more than the classic underdog sports story. There is the insightful message at its core about the social despair of Manassas, Tennessee – an area that has suffered massive economic hardship and high rates of unemployment, often affecting the black population worst. Honest, blunt interviews with the players expose these problems and are contrasted neatly with scenes of Coach Courtney’s work and home life, making the racial divide as clear as day.
Undefeated is a remarkable and moving documentary about true grit and determination. Even if you’re not a fan of documentaries, please check out Undefeated. It is “Theater Worthy.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
The language is a little rough at times, but I think this one is okay for most teenagers.
CONVERSATION STARTER
- Head Coach Bill Courtney says, “Football doesn’t build character. Football reveals character.” What do you think he meant by that? (Our character or who we really are is often exposed during sports or other high pressure situations.)
- Do you agree or disagree with that?
- What was the last time your character was “exposed”? What happened?
- C.S. Lewis once said, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” You can’t hide your actions on the football field. Where are some other places you can’t hide?
- Read Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do.
How can we pray tonight for our conscience and to live honorably in everything we do?
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.