DVD Review

Gridiron Gang (2007)

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ROCK SOLID Gridiron Gang manages to score points from its standard motivational playbook

Gridiron Gang: John Bramley

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Credits

Release Date: Sep 15, 2006; Rated: PG-13; DVD Release Date: Jan 16, 2007; Genres: Drama, Sports; With: Dwayne ''The Rock'' Johnson; Distributor: Columbia Pictures

By Helin Jung

Dwayne ''The Rock'' Johnson and his mammoth arms turn Gridiron Gang, the true story of camp counselor Sean Porter and the juvenile-delinquent Camp Kilpatrick Mustangs, into palatable cotton candy. The real-life Porter used football to teach his campers teamwork and motivation, but with former college-football player Johnson at its helm, the movie makes jail seem more like a therapeutic rehabilitation center. Crunching sounds, angry gang references, and gunshots occasionally jolt the sweet earnestness into a violent reality, but the young actors — even at their weepiest — keep the mood optimistically high. Watch through the credits to see clips from the 1993 documentary that inspired the film. EXTRAS Deleted scenes fill in some minor plot gaps; a profile of director Phil Joanou confirms that Xzibit (who plays a fellow counselor) has more charm in real life than he does as an actor; and the Rock gives lessons on using ''upper body violence.'' B

Posted Jan 19, 2007

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