The legend of worst to first, the myth of how a previously winless athletic team goes from chumps to champions has been the basis for dozens of movies. Everything from Hoosiers to Rocky, Gridiron Gang to Remember the Titans takes its cues from the underdog finally finding its place in the arena of competition. In the case of the Manassas (Tennessee) High School Tigers, 110 years of failure have labeled the school and its players a doormat for the rest of the area. Underprivileged, often unable to afford uniforms and equipment, the school has even gone so far as to sell themselves out for "pay games," exhibitions where wealthier -- and whiter -- teams from around the area take advantage of their reputation for a guaranteed win.
Then six years ago, lumber yard owner Bill Courtney walked onto the Manassas playing fields, and by sheer force of will and a volunteer's dedication to some disenfranchised kids, started to turn things around. Oh sure, the team must still be the goats for some prep school's sense of worth (how else can they afford the basics), but they have started to believe in their coach, and as a result, in themselves. The 2009 season seems to be the turning point for Courtney and three of his most charismatic players -- the college-eager but grade-poor lineman OC, the troubled talent with anger management issues (and a recent 15 month stint in juvenile prison) Chavis, and Montrail 'Money' Brown, a true NFL prospect with issues both on and off the field.
Taking a fascinating, fly-on-the-wall approach, directors Daniel Lindsay, and T.J. Martin let these people -- and their predicaments -- speak for themselves, and the results are astonishing. Undefeated is Hoop Dreams for the pigskin. It's an uplifting tale of personal empowerment disguised as a single-season celebration of human ability. Within the context of its efficient, effective narrative, we learn about Courtney's commitment to Manassas, how it affects his wife and kids, and how the success and failure of his players reflects on himself and the area. We are dealing with deep poverty here, issues of unemployment and broken home syndrome so engrained in the fabric of the community that it seems almost impossible for anyone to survive. Yet Courtney makes sure that these students get the right message. "Football doesn't build character," he argues through the course of the film, "it reveals it."This is especially true of the three young men Lindsay and Martin choose to focus on. Among them, Chavis appears the most vulnerable. His backstory illustrates the fears everyone has, but there is a decency in the boy that just can't seem to shine past his present problems. On the other hand, OC just wants help with his studies. Having been shoved up the school ladder because of his race and physical prowess, he wants to achieve his dreams -- he just doesn't know how to on his own. And then there is Money, the one who we think will "make it" -- that is, until an injury threatens that predestination. All throughout Undefeated, the filmmakers find a way to turn the everyday into the enlightening while never forgetting the inherent drama, suspense, and catharsis of watching athletes achieve...and occasionally fail.
Even better, the usual "white savior" sentiment that stains such feel good scenarios (The Blind Side) are nowhere to be found here. Perhaps it's because Courtney comes across as so sincere about what he wants to accomplish. For him, it's not about championships or winning seasons. It's about helping those who no one else will help. It's about inspiring those without inspiration. Instead of a mere worst to first, Undefeated is just that -- the best.
