Movie Review

Forever Strong (Fall 2008)

EW's GRADE
C+

Details Rated: Unrated; Length: 112 Minutes; Genres: Drama, Sports; With: Gary Cole and Neal McDonough

 PLAY BALL It may look like a contact sport, but Forever Strong is just a sappy spectator flick Forever Strong
PLAY BALL It may look like a contact sport, but Forever Strong is just a sappy spectator flick

Hoping to reduce his sentence in juvie for a DUI, a hot-tempered high school rugby star (Faris) agrees to lace up for his warden's old team. Like Varsity Blues and Friday Night Lights, the movie tackles its sport with a religious fervor that treats the field like a church, the coach a prophet, and the inevitable playoff match a sacrament. But Forever Strong, based on real-life events, also shares the secret sin of many a pigskin pic: Despite all the macho posturing, the corny story is just as sappy as anything on Lifetime. C+

Originally posted Sep 24, 2008 Published in issue #1014 Oct 03, 2008 Order article reprints

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