The cast are all mostly great, Jessica Matten as former WNBA player and Warriors coach Heather Hobbs gives some nice dimension and emotion, nice to see her have an opportunity to play with a bit more range than her other(great but perhaps more confined role) big project Dark Winds. Julia Jones as the team's star's mom is also wonderful providing a relatively honest and straightforward look at addiction and recovery. Dallas Goldtooth is always exceptional and here as one of the team's announcers he injects some much needed energy and humor. The issue is the team, they're not bad, but they don't really fill out the film and they are constrained somewhat by the confines of the formula, couple that with the fact most of them seem to be either green or non-professionals. They're serviceable but not exactly inspiring. Somewhat oddly similar to last year's Saltburn in that the seasoned adult actors are better and more interesting than the younger cast which are the actual focus.
Filmed on location in the Navajo Nation it looks great, the soundtrack works, it hits all the beats it needs to and its pleasing and entertaining. But it isn't really able to push through to that next level, it perhaps follows the 'inspiring sports drama' beats to strictly, is not totally able to break out from the confines of the genre to really soar, seems too beholden to movies like Hoosiers and Remember The Titans to be really unique.
Competent, engaging, if lacking electricity.
Currently streaming on Netflix.
Rent It.
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