The Longshots

Last updated
The Longshots
Longshotsposter08.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Fred Durst
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Conrad W. Hall
Edited byJeffrey Wolf
Music by Teddy Castellucci
Production
companies
Distributed by The Weinstein Company [1]
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [1]
Release date
  • August 22, 2008 (2008-08-22)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$23 million [2]
Box office$11.8 million [1]

The Longshots is a 2008 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Fred Durst, based on the real life events of Jasmine Plummer, the first girl to participate in the Pop Warner football tournament with the Harvey Colts led by head coach Richard Brown Jr. The film stars Ice Cube and Keke Palmer, their second film together after Barbershop 2: Back in Business , and was released on August 22, 2008.

Contents

Plot

Minden, Louisiana, is a former factory town with a failing economy and a pathetic football team that no one believes in. Curtis Plummer, a washed-up former football player, returns home broke and directionless until he meets his niece Jasmine, the daughter of his no-good brother Roy. Jasmine has worn her father's watch ever since he left five years ago in the hopes that he will one day return. Her mother Claire asks Curtis to take care of Jasmine after school as she is too busy with her job at the local diner. Curtis realizes Jasmine has a talent for throwing a football, which he nurtures into a passion for the game. He then persuades her to try out for the town's Pop Warner football team, the Minden Browns, because he thinks it would be good for her. The team, including the coach, are against admitting a female player, but Jasmine's abilities gain her a spot on the team. However, the coach deliberately keeps her on the bench. In the fourth game, after much prodding from Curtis, the coach puts Jasmine in the game, and although the Browns lose, everyone said they could have won if she had played from the beginning. Jasmine is then assigned as the starting quarterback and the Minden Browns quickly become a winning team.

Everything is going great until Coach Fisher suffers a heart attack, and the assistant coach asks Curtis to step in as a replacement for the last two games. He hesitates at first, still haunted by his past failures, but is eventually talked into it. The Browns win the two games and are able to go to the Pop Warner Super Bowl in Miami Beach. Roy suddenly shows up to meet them, having seen his daughter play on TV. Claire and Curtis are both unhappy and suspicious about his return, but Jasmine is ecstatic, convinced that Roy finally wants to be a part of her life.

The Browns are nearly forced to skip the Super Bowl due to a lack of money, but are able to raise enough from the town; even Curtis pitches in by donating the last of his life savings. Jasmine plays poorly in the first half when Roy does not show up to watch. Curtis talks her through her feelings and the Browns rally for the second half. They lose the game after a teammate drops the ball on the last play, but everyone is glad nonetheless that for the first time, the Browns made it to the championship. Jasmine finally confronts her deadbeat father and returns his watch, cutting him out of her life for good and accepting Curtis as the father figure she always wanted.

Cast

Production

The film was shot mostly in northwestern Louisiana, with the majority being in the small city of Minden. It was filmed at Minden High School and the Webster Parish Alternative School. The "Super Bowl" was filmed in Shreveport, Louisiana at Calvary Baptist Academy.

Release

The Longshots was released on DVD on December 2, 2008. It opened at #18 at the DVD sales chart, selling 143,000 units for revenue of $2,858,950. By January 2009, 471,000 DVD units had been sold, translating to $11 million in revenue. [3]

Reception

Box office

The Longshots opened on August 22, 2008 and grossed $4,080,687 in its opening week. It flopped at the box office, grossing $11,767,866 worldwide, on a $23 million budget.

Critical reception

The Longshots received mixed reviews. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 41% based on 71 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Longshots means well, but it's a largely formulaic affair, rarely deviating from the inspirational sports movie playbook." [4] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 52 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [5] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.

Ruthe Stein of San Francisco Chronicle opined that Keke Palmer's "winning manner and incandescent smile" made her "a perfect fit" for her role in the film. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXXVI</span> 2002 National Football League championship game

Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2001 season. The underdog Patriots defeated the heavily favored Rams by the score of 20–17. It was New England's first Super Bowl championship, and the franchise's first league championship of any kind. The game was also notable for snapping the AFC East's long streak of not being able to win a Super Bowl championship, as the division's teams had lost 7 Super Bowls between the Miami Dolphins' victory in 1974 and the Patriots' 2002 win. This was the last Super Bowl to feature the St. Louis Rams; after relocating to Los Angeles in 2016, the Rams returned to the NFL's championship game in Super Bowl LIII, in which they were again defeated by the Patriots. The Rams would not win another Super Bowl until Super Bowl LVI, as the Los Angeles Rams, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals.

<i>The Waterboy</i> 1998 film by Frank Coraci

The Waterboy is a 1998 American sports comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It was written by Adam Sandler as well as Tim Herlihy and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. Sandler also stars as the title character while Kathy Bates, Fairuza Balk, Henry Winkler, Jerry Reed, Larry Gilliard, Jr., Blake Clark, Peter Dante, and Jonathan Loughran play other characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt Warner</span> American football player (born 1971)

Kurtis Eugene Warner is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. His career, which saw him ascend from an undrafted free agent to a two-time Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl MVP, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Cinderella stories in NFL history.

<i>The Pacifier</i> 2005 film by Adam Shankman

The Pacifier is a 2005 American family action comedy film directed by Adam Shankman, written by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant and stars Vin Diesel. After a failed rescue mission, Navy SEAL Shane Wolfe is assigned as babysitter to the dead man's family.

<i>Aquamarine</i> (film) 2006 film by Elizabeth Allen

Aquamarine is a 2006 American-Australian teen fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Elizabeth Allen, loosely based on the 2001 young adult novel of the same name by Alice Hoffman. It stars Emma Roberts, Joanna “JoJo” Levesque in her film debut and Sara Paxton as the eponymous character. The film was released in the United States on March 3, 2006, by 20th Century Fox.

<i>Little Giants</i> 1994 American family sports comedy film

Little Giants is a 1994 American family sports comedy film directed by Duwayne Dunham and written by James Ferguson, Robert Shallcross, Tommy Swerdlow, Michael Goldberg from the story by Ferguson and Robert Shallcross. The film stars Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neill as Danny and Kevin O'Shea, two brothers living in a small Ohio town who coach rival Pee-Wee Football teams. The film was produced by Amblin Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros. under their Warner Bros. Family Entertainment label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Santora</span> American screenwriter (born 1970)

Nick Santora is a writer and producer born in Queens, New York. He won the Best Screenplay of the Competition in the New York City Independent International Film Festival. He has also written for and/or produced The Sopranos, The Guardian, Law & Order, Prison Break, Lie to Me, and Scorpion and he created and executive produced Beauty and the Geek. Santora also co-wrote/created/executive produced the television series Breakout Kings. He served as executive producer and developer of Scorpion from 2014 to 2018 over four seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keke Palmer</span> American actress, singer, and television personality (born 1993)

Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer is an American actress, singer, and television host. She is known for playing both leading and character roles in comedy and drama productions. Palmer has received several accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and five NAACP Image Awards; along with nominations for a Daytime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Time magazine included her on their list of most influential people in the world in 2019.

<i>The Pelican Brief</i> (film) 1993 American thriller film directed by Alan J. Pakula

The Pelican Brief is a 1993 American legal thriller film based on the 1992 novel by John Grisham. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, the film stars Julia Roberts in the role of young law student Darby Shaw and Denzel Washington as Washington Herald reporter Gray Grantham. The film, which features music composed by James Horner, was the last film that featured Pakula as both writer and director before his death.

<i>Semi-Pro</i> 2008 American sports comedy film

Semi-Pro is a 2008 American sports comedy film. The film was directed by Kent Alterman in his directorial debut, written by Scot Armstrong, and produced by Jimmy Miller. It stars Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin and Maura Tierney, set during the final season of the American Basketball Association and telling the story of a fictional ABA team desperate to survive the league's merger with the NBA. The film was shot in Los Angeles near Dodger Stadium, in Detroit, and in Flint, Michigan. Released in theaters on February 19, 2008, and released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on June 3, 2008, it was the last film from New Line Cinema before they were absorbed by Warner Bros. Pictures. As of 2024, it is the only film directed by Kent Alterman. The film received generally negative reviews, with critics criticizing the script, though Ferrell's performance received praise.

<i>Premonition</i> (2007 film) 2007 film by Mennan Yapo

Premonition is a 2007 American supernatural psychological thriller directed by Mennan Yapo and starring Sandra Bullock in the lead role, Julian McMahon, Nia Long, and Amber Valletta. The film's plot depicts homemaker Linda experiencing the days surrounding her husband's death in a non-chronological order and attempting to save him from his impending doom.

<i>Cleaner</i> (2007 film) 2007 American film

Cleaner is a 2007 American thriller film directed by Renny Harlin. It stars Samuel L. Jackson as a crime scene cleaner who thinks he has become part of a cover-up; Ed Harris, Keke Palmer, and Eva Mendes also star. The film was released on May 27, 2007.

<i>The Express: The Ernie Davis Story</i> 2008 American football film

The Express: The Ernie Davis Story is a 2008 American sports film produced by John Davis and directed by Gary Fleder. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Charles Leavitt from a 1983 book Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express, authored by Robert C. Gallagher. The film is based on the life of Syracuse University football player Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, portrayed by actor Rob Brown. The Express explores civil rights topics, such as racism, discrimination and athletics. It was the film debut of Chadwick Boseman as Floyd Little.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasha Smith</span> American actress, director and producer

Tasha Smith is an American actress. She began her career in a starring role on the NBC comedy series Boston Common (1996–97), and later appeared in numerous movies and television series.

<i>Resident Evil: Degeneration</i> 2008 Japanese film

Resident Evil: Degeneration, known as Biohazard: Degeneration in Japan, is a 2008 Japanese adult animated biopunk action horror film directed by Makoto Kamiya. It is the first full-length motion capture animation feature in Capcom's Resident Evil franchise. The film was made by Capcom in cooperation with Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan. Degeneration made its premiere at the 2008 Tokyo Game Show and was released theatrically on October 17, 2008.

Jasmine Plummer is an American football player who was the first-ever female quarterback for a Pop Warner football team. At the age of 11 years old, she made history as the first female quarterback in the 56th Annual Pop Warner Super Bowl ; however, her team, the Harvey Colts, lost in the semifinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team</span> American college football season

The 2012 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team represented Louisiana Tech University as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by third-year head coach Sonny Dykes, the Bulldogs played five of their six home games at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana and one at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Bulldogs finished the season 9–3 overall and 4–2 in conference play to place third in the WAC. Despite having one of the most successful seasons in program history, the Bulldogs did not play in a bowl game. They were initially invited to the Independence Bowl, but asked for more time to decide to see if other options opened up. No other bowl invited them, and the Independence Bowl selected Ohio instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1925 College Football All-Southern Team</span>

The 1925 College Football All-Southern Team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-Southern Teams selected by various organizations for the 1925 Southern Conference football season.

<i>American Underdog</i> 2021 sports drama film directed by the Erwin Brothers

American Underdog is a 2021 American biographical sports film about National Football League (NFL) quarterback Kurt Warner. Directed by Andrew and Jon Erwin, the film follows Warner's journey as an undrafted player who ascended to winning Super Bowl XXXIV. It stars Zachary Levi as Warner, alongside Anna Paquin as his wife Brenda and Dennis Quaid as his head coach Dick Vermeil.

<i>Alice</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film by Krystin Ver Linden

Alice is a 2022 American crime thriller film set in the 1970s, written and directed by Krystin Ver Linden, in her directorial debut. The film stars Keke Palmer, Jonny Lee Miller, Common, Gaius Charles, and Alicia Witt.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Longshots (2008)". Box Office Mojo . IMDB. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  2. ↑ Box Office Information for The Longshots. The Numbers. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  3. ↑ The Longshots - DVD Sales. The Numbers. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  4. ↑ "The Longshots (2008)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  5. ↑ "The Longshots Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  6. ↑ Ruthe Stein (August 2008). "Movie review: Girl leads team in 'Longshots'". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved November 2016
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.