Review of Forever Strong (2008) by Nathan R — 15 May 2009

Ryan Little and David Pliler's film reduces the real-life philosophy and achievements of volunteer coach Larry Gelwix, whose Salt Lake City Highland Rugby Club is legendary both for its formidable winning record and its team spirit, to a compendium of inspirational sports-movie/coming of age clichés.

There's something disheartening about seeing real-life stories and their inevitable complexities put through the Hollywood sausage machine and transformed into bland parables about a privileged, wayward young bucks redeemed by wise, infinitely patient mentors and the self-abnegating spirit of team sports.