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The Gridiron Gang | 2006 | PG-13 | - 3.5.5

Reportedly based on true events, about detention camp probation officer Sean Porter (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson), who decided to try to instill self-respect and a sense of personal responsibility to a group of young and dangerous inmates by bringing them together as a high school level football team. The challenge is complicated by resistance from the camp authorities. Also with L. Scott Caldwell, Xzibit , Kevin Dunn and Leon Rippy. Directed by Phil Joanou. [2:00]

SEX/NUDITY 3 - Cheerleaders wear low-cut tops and short skirts that reveal cleavage and bare legs in a few scenes. A woman wears a low-cut top and short skirt that reveal cleavage and bare legs. Cheerleaders dance with suggestive movements in a few scenes.
 Young men and young women hug.
 Young men on a bus make remarks about a woman in a car next to them (one talks about wanting her and about her "end zone").

VIOLENCE/GORE 5 - A young man confronts a man who has beaten up his mother, they struggle, the young man is pushed back to the floor, he draws a gun, and fires three times killing the man (we see three bloody bullet holes in his shirt).
 A man shoots a young man who falls to the ground (we see blood on his arm and see him later with a bandaged wound). A man shoots at police who shoot at him, and he is eventually struck and falls to the ground.
 People in a car shoot and kill a young man who is walking along a street, they chase another young man who runs and is pinned between the car and the fence (he is also killed). A gun is fired in a convenience store and it is implied that a man was killed.
 A young man is knocked hard to the ground, he does not get up, he is taken away in an ambulance and we hear that he has a concussion and a slipped disk.
 A young man tackles a man, the man throws the young man down to the ground and they argue. A young man punches another young man, and guards pull him away and take him to a solitary cell referred to as the "box."
 There are many scenes of football gridiron action where young men are struck (several in the crotch), knocked to the ground, and thrown hard (there are rarely injuries). A man challenges a young man and slams him several times, throwing the young man to the ground (both are in football gear).
 A young man in a detention facility shoves another young man and they scuffle. Several young women slap each other and shove each other. A man with a rolled up magazine hits a young man repeatedly and yells at him. Two young men threaten each other and confront each other.
 Young men are handcuffed in a prison transport. Young men tease a young man about the kind of car that he stole.
 We hear that a young man stabbed an "old lady for her purse." We see a sick woman in a hospital bed and we are told later that she died. We hear that someone was "shot dead in the parking lot." Two men are shoved into a swimming pool.
 A young man sniffs an athletic supporter not knowing how it was used.

LANGUAGE 5 - 1 F-word, 2 sexual references, 27 scatological terms, 34 anatomical terms, 32 mild obscenities, 7 derogatory terms for African-Americans, name-calling (idiot, loser), 7 religious profanities, 5 religious exclamations.

SUBSTANCE USE - We see four empty beer bottles on a table in front of a man (it is implied that he has drunk them). A man smokes a cigar.

DISCUSSION TOPICS - Juvenile incarceration, the prison system, gangs, gang violence, hate, intimidation, repeat offenders, spouse abuse, murder, self-defense, taking chances, losing, winning, pride, teamwork, belonging, being lazy, quitting, prayer, parental love, parental approval, parental disappointment, dreams, goals, death of a parent, forgiveness.

MESSAGE - Everyone deserves a chance to do better.

CAVEATS

Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.

We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.

Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated, Special, Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.


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