My All American
has all the elements of an extremely sad, but inspiring sports story—someone with tremendous desire to
play professional football makes the university team, plays really well
against all odds, gets bone cancer, and dies. This story should have blown itself
into classic status and completely fails. It ends as just another sports film
that, sadly, does not say much when it has a need to say a lot about the value of losing life to serious disease. Aaron Eckhart seems miscast in this film. This may be, in part, to over direction. The movie tries to interpret the
character for its audience without allowing the audience the freedom to find itself within the character, to relate to the character. It is good to see Freddie Steinmark, the hero of this film, has
no plans of backing down despite his disability; but the inspiration of ‘fighter
to the end’ is unfortunately not realized as this story is portrayed.
Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia
Storyline
Freddie
Steinmark (Finn Wittrock) realizes his desire to play professional football, but
succumbs to bone cancer.
Additional Thanks
Thank
You to Director Angelo Pizzo and to Executive Producers Michael Beugg, Ben
Brigham, Tony Jones, Carl Mazzocone, Paula Walter, and Rusty Walter for making
the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Coach Royal (Aaron
Eckhart), Bobby Mitchell (Rett Terrell), Fred Steinmark (Michael Reilly Burke),
Gloria Steinmark (Robin Tunney), Linda Wheeler (Sarah Bolger), James Street
(Juston Street), Bill Bradley (Donny Boaz), Cotton Speyrer (Jordan Shipley),
Mike Campbell (Alex MacNicoll), Tom Campbell (Richard Kohnke), Randy Peschel
(Eddie Davenport), and Steve Worster (Austin Willis).
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
No.
This tragic tale tragically fails to hit its mark.
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