Rent Champions (2022)

A lovely, unsentimental film about disability which sadly never digs too deep with it's story - Champions review by TB

Underdog sports films are one of the most prevalent & popular genres in movies. And there are of course many different spins on this theme. Champions, a remake of a Spanish film, uses the Special Olympics & disability as a way to take a fresh look at the genre. Sadly, despite some excellent actors & clearly huge amounts of heart from the filmmakers, this is never more than a surface-level look at the particular scenario & the attitudes towards disabled people in general.

The absolute best thing about this film is the complete lack of any sentimentality or patronising towards people with disabilities. So instead of cardboard cutout characters, with lashing of Hollywood patronising, instead we are shown very real & complex people who also have a wicked sense of humour.

The different characters are shown as individuals who also hold down jobs & are incredibly skilled at what they are able to do, once again directly posing the question/challenge to those who feel that these individuals cannot do anything apart from forever be dependent & isolated; the actual question should be "Why are more opportunities not being created which, with some amending & accomodation for their needs, ensures they become fulfilled as well as highly loyal employees?"

But despite all of the good elements of the film, for me it was never more than 3 stars, quite simply because it is never more than surface level in terms of story. Unlike The Peanut Butter Falcon, which had a sensational & beautiful story behind it, full of depth, this film focuses on Harrelson's redemption. Whilst that is absolutely fine to show that, as well as Harrelson being great in the role, I wanted the film equally to find something to do with the many brilliant actors apart from only relatively small bit roles.

There is of course much to enjoy here & I absolutely recommend watching this film. I just wanted it to be so much more than it ends up being.

Cheers to this not being in Philadelphia - Champions review by Strovey

If you read the blurb and general outline of the story you have to understand what you are getting for your money. This is unashamedly feel-good, underdog, storytelling. You will have seen this before more than once. So the only thing that can win you over and make this hold its head higher than the others behind it is the direction, the storytelling and the acting. For me, Champions wins due to the positives they can put in each of those columns.

The story starts quickly and sharply introducing you to the heel of Woody Harrelson and if you want an actor to play a role, with more than one level, who is both a good man and an arrogant a-hole at the same time the former bartender from Cheers is definitely your man. This is not a criticism in any way but he definitely can do this role in his sleep. Here it is effortless.

His amor is the nearly unrecognisable, for me at least, Kaitlin Olson and it has to be said she is a revelation. Freed from her role as the cartoonish one-level shrieking Dee in Always Sunny in Philadelphia she is really good. I would go as far as to say that Always Sunny has shackled Kaitlin. Here in a grounded more emotionally realistic role she a strong important part of the film and makes it work. It would be interesting to see how she would work in completely different genres.

With Harrelson and Olson anchoring the story ably supported by Cheech Marin – the strong realistic boss figure, and Matt Cook – comic relief who proves capable near the end, the genius of the makers is to use genuinely intellectually challenged people playing the roles of the kids. By showing them joking, having challenges with serious topics, being funny, diligent, and being everything except their disability, we have honesty at the heart of the film and story and I dare say for some people eye-opening honesty.

All of these young people are great. Some stand out and have more important story beats than others but they all get their fair share of screen time with the star that shines brightly from the minute she gets on the screen, Madison Tevlin, playing the hard-assed and sassy Consentino, she clearly loves every line, every emotion she has to show us on the screen, and she makes you laugh.

The film cleverly does not have a ‘revelation’ moment for the Marcus character but more subtly changes his attitude without ever signposting it at all which is an aspect I liked. Lesser storytellers would hit you over the head with this moment to show it. Consequently, it feels much more natural and organic.

The sensitive content around the youngsters with the challenges and obstacles that we can never truly understand or know are managed very well throughout the runtime and it was never there to manipulate your emotions cheaply as some films would. The whole film is obviously manipulating your feelings, but in a good way, perhaps even challenging how you think on a small scale but it does try to highlight more understanding in the viewer and the upbeat side of such tales.

Within the scope of stories like Champions emotional beats are signposted and pushed, which I understand some people do not mind, Champions seems more organic and natural in the way the story and characters progress. A big plus for Farrelly, the writers and actors.

This is not to say this is a perfectly wonderful film. Although it zips along it could also lose a few minutes of run time and some set pieces seem a tad unrealistic and are shoe-horned in to highlight a point or get the characters to where they need to be. To be fair, it is not like that has never happened in a film before.

The story treads a very well-worn remarkably familiar sports story path and if you watch films you have seen this before. Even the ending is familiar.

Champions is a well-acted, well-made, story that lifts intellectually challenged people out of the role of ‘how difficult is their life’ to a more rounded view.

Delightful Sports Comedy - Champions review by GI

A sweet natured, likeable comedy that is totally predictable with the odd surprise. It's just a pleasantly entertaining film and even if you don't like sports films or basketball it will still give you the intended warm hearted feel. Woody Harrelson is minor league basketball coach Marcus. After being fired from his job he gets arrested for drunk driving and to avoid prison accepts community service where he has to coach a team of adults with learning disabilities. Of course he starts out resenting the job and feels its beneath his skills but gradually comes to a life affirming change as the bond between him and the team forms. He's helped along the way by a romance with Alex (Kaitlin Olsen - in a funny and clever performance). You know exactly how the plot will progress but that takes away nothing from the feel good nature of this film. The script avoids over sentimentality for a hilarious realism that has the result of making everyone involved seem very real, the film is a remake of a Spanish film that itself was based on a true story. Great soundtrack too.