Movie Review: The Longshots
There's not much to say about the Longshots as a movie as a whole. It is that same "underdogs and group of misfits" facing insurmountable odds and rising to the challenge in a winning montage and overcoming adversity. Now that's where the "Old Hat" writing ends and the mythology begins. Based on the true story of Jasmine Plumber, and very somberly played by Keke Palmer of the wonderful film "Akeelah and the Bee". She is a quiet girl, always with her nose in a fantasy book and picked on by the cool kids in school. Wearing her daddy's watch since he walked out on her five years earlier, she sadly and eagerly awaits his return and is constantly being fussed over by her hard working mom.
Her Uncle Curtis, played like a down and out homeless guy, always brown bagging it, is Ice Cube. Like his niece, a somber loner, sad about his old glory days on the football field. Well as you imagine, her mother hires him on to watch the sad sack Jasmine after school and one day as he is throwing the ball around with her....He finds his niece has the arm of Tom Brady. She becomes the unexpected quarterback for a team of losers and leads them as the first female ever to get to the Pop Warner Superbowl. All with the support and Yoda like guidance of her Loser to Winner Uncle Ice Cube.
The movie played as I mentioned earlier, but it is the actors and direction I want to touch on to. Keke Palmer is turning into a beautiful young woman and I feel one day will be a very credible actress in her own right hopefully giving some of the throwaways a run for their money. Ice Cube playing it straight once in a blue moon holds the movie together well with heartfelt warmth that in certain scenes pay off well. This movie might be flying low under the radars is a nice, quick piece of fluff, that knows what to do, when to do it, and when to pack it up. I enjoyed the feel good aspect of the film...But here is why I ACTUALLY went to see it.
When the screen went to black and only then, did you see the words "Directed by Fred Durst". This was one of first quality projects to come from the former Nu Metal/Rapper since around 2004. And as much as I expected it to be in rough shape...This movie played like it had veteran direction. What shocked me most was the family fare aspect of the film, and why he hadn't tackled some deep dark drama in the same vein as new Uber director Rob Zombie? I haven't seen Durst's other work in film, but I am excited and wait with baited breath for what's to come. He seems to have a good eye for the silver screen and I commend him.
The reason I am so enthralled is not because I was a kiddies Limp fan, I dug his hardcore side, when he could produce something tangible, because I will be the first to say, for every Limp Bizkit song that was killer, were ten that killed you. So I was impressed with the work of all and hope this film gets a little something something for its panache... It may be some of the same, but with a little flare. Keke Palmer will do bigger and better things, you heard it hear first.
-Check This- Watch the "Eat you Alive" video by Limp, it has Thora Birch and Bill Paxton starring, and is bizarre, romantic, disturbing and badass all rolled into one.