Review of The Longshots (2008) by Stacy S — 15 Jan 2009

In the depressed Midwestern town of Minden, young Jasmine (Keke Palmer) is having difficulty fitting in at school, hounded by the popular kids and struggling with the absence of her biological father. To help out, Jasmine's shiftless Uncle Curtis (Ice Cube) is brought in, and while bored with the young girl's fascination with fashion, he spots a terrific throwing arm underneath all her melancholy.

Encouraging Jasmine to perfect her football skills, Curtis gets her on the local Pop Warner team, where she's met with immediate disapproval. However, once her arm starts producing wins, Jasmine finds herself a success, and provides Minden a new, long overdue shot of hope.

"Longshots" is again smothered by manufactured sentiment and conflict on the gridiron, though many of the scenes are saved by Cube and Palmer. Sharing friendly, endearing chemistry, the actors rescue the picture with their easygoing charisma.

The one noticeable detriment is the film's muted cinematography from Conrad W. Hall. Surprisingly considering his prior work, it comes across here as flat rather than insightful, or grittily authentic.

Like many sports movies, in order to keep the pace brisk the storyline is streamlined in various forms and dramatic license is used. But The Longshots certainly deserves a place next to other endearing slice of life true stories that illuminate the wondrous world of the sports arena.