![]() The Gospel, you see, has healed much of the city. So the crowd spontaneously continues it, ending with an "Amen" and applause. When chaplain Hank Erwin speaks to the stadium and begins reciting the Lord's Prayer, the superintendent shuts off his microphone. (Both, by the way, ended up playing for Bryant.)īut like every good sports movie, the game at Legion Field is only a backdrop. They were there to see Nathan face off against Banks and star quarterback Jeff Rutledge in a game that decided who made the state playoffs. ![]() Soon, the school revival spreads to Woodlawn's cross-town rival, and by movie's end the two teams meet at Birmingham's Legion Field for what remains the most-attended high school game in state history. The star black player who was hated by the white players – Tony Nathan (newcomer Caleb Castille) – begins excelling, so much so that Bryant recruits him. Eventually, the coach, too, accepts Christ. The team gels, and racial divisions are soon healed. The white and black players begin praying together at practice and meeting off-campus for Bible study. "What just happened?" a cynical Gerelds says to no one in particular. Gerelds gives the coach five minutes, but his talk lasts an hour and all but three of the players end up accepting Christ. It is against this backdrop that sports chaplain Hank Erwin (Astin) shows up uninvited at the school and asks head coach Tandy Gerelds (Nic Bishop) for time to speak with the team. Actual games aren't any more civil, as parents in the stands trade insults under the watchful eyes of police who are on standby in case anything happens. WOODLAWN PLAAYING CLOSE FULLThe team, too, is full of racial hatred, with punches between white and black players thrown at regularity at practice and in the locker room. WOODLAWN PLAAYING CLOSE MOVIEThe movie opens with fights and near-riots outside Woodlawn High School that are so bad the superintendent threatens to shut it down. I certainly was skeptical a few times during the movie, wondering if the story had been changed to make it more entertaining. Starring Sean Astin ("The Lord Of The Rings" trilogy) as a determined sports chaplain and Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight as legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, "Woodlawn" is one of those movies that wouldn't be believable if it weren't true. It's directed by the same brother tandem (Jon and Andrew Erwin) who made "Mom's Night Out" and "October Baby" and produced by Kevin Downes, known for his on-screen roles in "Courageous" and "Mom's Night Out" and for his earlier film "Like Dandelion Dust," which he produced. That's because it's simply a great movie – even without the sports – and it's among the most inspiring and uplifting films I've watched. ![]() Set in the early 1970s, "Woodlawn" is the best sports movie I've ever seen, although that label really doesn't do it justice. Such is the case with "Woodlawn" (PG), which hits theaters this weekend and recounts the true story of a newly integrated high school football team in Birmingham, Ala., that is the source of racial tension until most of the players accept Christ and spark a city-wide revival. Instead, the best sports movies use sports as a backdrop to tell the story of something far more significant and important, something that even non-sports fans can embrace. The best sports movies aren't even about sports. | (Photo: Pureflix/Erwin Brothers Film) View Photos The Woodlawn High School football team, led by defensive coordinator Jerry Stears (Kevin Sizemore), top left, and head coach Tandy Geralds (Nic Bishop), pause to pray before an important game in "Woodlawn," an exhilarating high school football drama about how a spiritual awakening in 1970s Alabama led to love and unity to overcome racism and hate. ![]()
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