If you don't like heavy Broadway plays, you're not going to like That Championship Season. The synopsis will tell you that five old friends gather together with their basketball coach and relive their glory days from high school. There's a lot more than that to the story, and it's an extremely heavy, dramatic story that definitely feels like a play. It all takes place in one house, so it's easy to imagine onstage, and some of the subject matter can make people in the audience feel uncomfortable.
Bruce Dern is a mayor up for reelection, and his campaign managers and friends, Paul Sorvino and Stacey Keach, have doubts about his likability. Their younger brother, Martin Sheen, comes back to town to support their reunion with their beloved coach, Robert Mitchum. While it's true that they do relive their glory days, the major focus of the movie is the present. There are no flashbacks or younger actors playing teenage versions of the cast. Betrayal, infidelity, substance abuse, dishonesty, anger, and violence take equal shares on the screen, giving everyone prime scenes to show their acting chops.
I usually like movies with a good cast and great dramatic performances, but this one wasn't really my cup of tea. There was quite a bit of language I felt was unnecessary, and I only found Bruce Dern's character likable. When you're only rooting for one out of six, there's not much motivation for the rest of the movie.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to sexual and racial language, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.
Bruce Dern is a mayor up for reelection, and his campaign managers and friends, Paul Sorvino and Stacey Keach, have doubts about his likability. Their younger brother, Martin Sheen, comes back to town to support their reunion with their beloved coach, Robert Mitchum. While it's true that they do relive their glory days, the major focus of the movie is the present. There are no flashbacks or younger actors playing teenage versions of the cast. Betrayal, infidelity, substance abuse, dishonesty, anger, and violence take equal shares on the screen, giving everyone prime scenes to show their acting chops.
I usually like movies with a good cast and great dramatic performances, but this one wasn't really my cup of tea. There was quite a bit of language I felt was unnecessary, and I only found Bruce Dern's character likable. When you're only rooting for one out of six, there's not much motivation for the rest of the movie.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to sexual and racial language, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.