WEB LINKS » Critics.com - ★˝ » Official Site » IMDb Listing

Martin Lawrence stars as a successful college basketball coach who takes himself a little too seriously. When he accidentally kills the mascot of an opposing team during a game, he is ousted from the league. What starts as a PR ploy to get his job back turns into a life-changing experience when he tries to take a middle school team from their laughing stock status to the championships. Also with Wendy Raquel Robinson, Breckin Meyer, Horatio Sanz and Megan Mullally. Directed by Steve Carr. [1:43]

SEX/NUDITY 2 - A man with scantily clad women poses for photographers. A man and a woman kiss. A woman wears low-cut tops and dresses that reveal cleavage.
► A boy puts his arm around a girl's shoulder and they sit together. A girl talks to a boy and he drops ice cream in his lap, a boy and a girl look at each other and smile, and boys admire girls as they walk by. A coach brings girls into a gym where boys are practicing to inspire them to play better.
► A man flirts with a woman and asks her out on a date. A man makes noises when he looks at a woman (expressing that she looks beautiful).

VIOLENCE/GORE 3 - A coach kicks a basketball that hits an eagle and kills it (we see the bird lying dead on the floor and we see grief stricken children in the audience).
► A girl trips a boy, a girl hits a boy and knocks him to the floor, a girl punches a boy in the shoulder and shoves him against a locker, and a girl punches a boy in the face. A bully trips a boy as he walks up stairs, and another one yells at him.
A man throws a boy on the floor. A girl punches a boy off-screen (we hear scuffling and blows).
► A man is hit hard in the face by a basketball, he falls to the ground and we see his nose bleeding. A boy is hit in the face with a basketball, a boy is hit in the face by a door and the cupcake that he is eating is squished on his face, and a man is hit in the face by a door. Boys are hit repeatedly in the head, stomach and crotch with basketballs. Boys pour a bucket of ice water over a man's head. A man puts Icy Hot under boys' arms to make them keep their arms up.
► A coach yells aggressively at his middle school aged team. A man prays for opposing team members to be injured. A girl threatens another girl and then a boy when she finds them flirting. A man yells at referees in several scenes, and a man yells at an opposing team's mascot.
► A man drives a car into a garbage can (he has apparently been in other accidents judging from the condition of the car). A coach pops a basketball when angry with what he deems a bad call. A man burns a tie that he is ironing.
► Several boys and a man are splashed with mud when a car drives through a puddle. A boy vomits in many scenes (we hear him gag and frequently hear a splat); one time he vomits on a man's shoe, and other times on the floor or into a garbage can. A girl cracks her knuckles and her neck throughout the movie.

PROFANITY 2 - 1 scatological term, 2 mild obscenities, 1 doggone, name-calling (turkey), 5 religious exclamations. [profanity glossary]

SUBSTANCE USE - A man and a woman drink wine.

DISCUSSION TOPICS - Winning, losing, effort, bullies, confidence, competition, communication, courage, jealousy, envy, college basketball, encouragement, greed, dreams, ambition, embarrassment, humiliation, work ethic, fame, inspiration, conceit, egocentrism, Cinderella stories, separated families, reputation, egomania, disappointment, disgrace, teamwork.

MESSAGE - Teamwork beats talent every time. Sports should be played for the beauty of the sport, not for the fame and glory one might hope to attain by playing.

Special Keywords: S2 - V3 - P2 - MPAAPG