Forever Strong Review

Last week Kenneth and I were able to attend the Utah premier of Forever Strong. This is a sports film about a high school rugby team. The film is based on true events, events that happened, but didn't happen to all the same person like in the movie. The rugby team is here in Utah, Highland Rugby. They are an amazing team with an amazing record. Here's my disclaimer: my brother is the executive producer. I promise to not let that effect my review. Famous people we saw at the premier: Brad Pelo (my brother), Gary Cole (from really far away), Elder Nielsen, Carol Makita.

Back to the movie. The movie stars Sean Faris (remake of Yours, Mine and Ours) as a punk kid with serious anger issues, Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl) as the bad influence friend, Gary Cole (Office Space & recent appearances on Psych & Desperate Housewives) as the coach of the Highland team, Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings, Rudy) as a detention center counselor, and Neal McDonough (Minority Report, Band of Brothers & this seasons Desperate Housewives) as Sean Faris' father and coach. There are several local celebrities as well, Chunga, Big Budah, Dave Fox, as it was filmed here in Utah.

Yes, it is a typical sports film. Yes, it has a happy, inspiring ending. Yes, lessons are learned and lives are changed. Even with all the sports movie cliches and predictability I still enjoyed it very much. It's funny and moving and exciting. I love a good sports film. Really I can't remember a bad sports film that I've seen. It's a formula that works. I don't understand rugby and it looks super violent, but I do understand Coach Gelwix and the kids, so that's all that matters. For those of you that live in my neighborhood you will recognize the Ishmael's son Eric in the film. He is an extra in the detention center, but as one of the few minority's in the film, and in the state of Utah, he gets a lot of face time. Did I mention that Sean Faris looks so much like a young Tom Cruise sometimes that it freaks me out? Pardon the moment in the film of horrible lighting on Coach Gelwix's wife. Horrible. I can't believe that the lighting guys and director didn't see how bad it was. She looks at least 20 years older than Gary Cole does in the scene. It is rated PG-13 for teen drinking and drug use, but that's it. Good movie, go see it. That turned out to be a lot of work for a little shameless plugging of my brother's movie, I mean a lot of work for such an impartial and objective review of my brother's movie. Really, you should see it.

Here are some pictures of the NYC premier taken by Coach Gelwix's daughter, Jenny. Thanks, Jenny!