The Longshots (2008)
9/10
The sleeper hit of 2008!!
10 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
In brief Longshots is the classic underdog story but with a few twists. Not only do we have a young,struggling,American rugby team we also have the struggle of a young girl trying to earn respect and gain a place in this young,struggling,American rugby team.

People may think they have seen hundreds of these types of films before, Mighty Duck's (the ice hockey one with Billy the Kid as the head coach) and Little Giant's (the American rugby one with Louis Tully as the head coach) to name two off the top of my head. Longshots however is a different breed of animal.The powerhouse performance of Ice Cube accompanied with the fantastic direction of Fred Durst makes this film a must see.

Ice Cube plays Curtis Plummer, a down and out with little in his life except American football and alcohol. He has a distant relationship with his niece, Jasmine Plummer, until fate brings them closer together. It is at this point that Curtis Plummer realises his young niece has a talent for throwing a Rugby ball a long way very accurately!. Without spoiling the rest of the film Ice Cube basically becomes a Yoda figure to Jasmine Plummer and trains her in the art of throwing a Rugby ball without going to the dark side (Laces out Dan!).

This film goes on to teach us a valuable life lesson. In one scene we have Curtis Plummer a smelling,dirty, down and out looking at the horrible state he has let himself become in a mirror. Whilst looking into this mirror and deep into his own heart does Curtis decide to change his ways? become a better uncle to Jasmine? become a role model to all those other down and outs around him? NO!!! he simply changes his shirt and puts on a bowler-esquire type hat. The message this gives to the young generation out there is that a small change can be all that is needed in life.

After raving about this film you may wonder why i did not give this film 10 stars. Well my only niggle with The Longshots is the soundtrack. Instead of the kids winning their first American rugby game and a mediocre run of the mill instrumental accompanying the scene why not add Ice Cubes own masterpiece Roll All Day to make this a truly epic scene and epic film!

For this film to be at a meager 2.7 on IMDb is a utter disgrace. What Durst,Cube and Cube vision have created is a minor miracle. GO BUY IT!
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