4th and Goal - Movie Review - 2010

Six high school football stars -- Deqawn Mobley, Albert Toeaina, Gibril Wilson, Tim Brown, Randy Sims, and Bret Jones -- dream of playing for the NFL. They can't afford a four year college, and their grades won't get them scholarships -- even if they're superb athletes.

Each plans to attend junior college and make a name for himself on a winning football team. The best school for attaining those goals is City College of San Francisco, a two-year school famous for its winning football team, the Rams, and helping athletes transfer to four-year schools with major football teams from which most NFL players are drafted.

The Rams' legendary coach, George Rush, Sr., is one of the most respected college sports coaches in the US. While coaching his players, he becomes their mentor about the game and about the more personal matters of life. He's a tough but inspiring task master, a father figure who really cares about his players and forms lasting bonds with them.

Filmmaker Nina Gilden Seavey's documentary follows the six players for six years, basically from the time they get to San Francisco to the turning point at which we know whether they'll score a place on an NFL team or not. No spoilers here, you have to see the film to find out who succeeds and who doesn't and why. But if you're a die hard football fan, you may already have recognized some of their names.

Note, too, that you don't have to be a die hard football fan - or know much about the game - in order to enjoy the film. The cast is so likeable, talented and dedicated to the sport they really love, they'll have you rooting for them, even if you don't understand football rules or care much about the game.

Fine Football

That said, there's a lot of football in the film, showing these powerful players in action. As we follow them through their 2003 championship season, move to top D1 collegiate teams and intersect with the world of professional football, we see them mature as players and as men. As a team, they become like a family - so much so that some of them have difficulty transitioning to larger colleges where players are treated more like numbers than like brothers.

To find out which player scores most, you must see the film.

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Film Details:

• Title: 4th and Goal
• Director: Nina Gilden Seavey
• DVD Release Date: September 23, 2011
• Running Time: 89 mins.
• Parental Guidance: Advisory for Parental Guidance for content
• Location: San Francisco and various other US cities
• Language: English
• Production Country: USA
• Production Company: Born To Score
• DVD Distribution Company: First Run Features
• Official Website
• Trailer