Please don't spend money on this.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Undefeated is a film that documents the Manassas football team's journey to success. With underlying themes and raw emotion, this film is a strong ten. The opening to this film is the coach giving an encouraging pep-talk to his team. The director made this so that the audience can understand the true passion and determination the coach has. The biggest underlying theme is hard work. The coach is always pushing and encouraging his players. The director is also sure to pan images of the homes in North Memphis so that the audience can see what these boys come from. The camera angles used make the film seem more life-like and make the audience feels as if they are actually face to face with the coach and players. There is also another theme of pride. The coach always talks about how proud of the team he is, no matter the outcome of a game. The raw emotion of the coach and the players is seen when they lose the championship. The mood changes from hopeful and anxious to let down and disappointed. However, the coach gives another uplifting speech and says he wouldn't trade his team for the world because he is still proud of their effort and how they handle the loss. This scene is one of the most important in my opinion because it's a take-away scene. The players learn that even with continuous hard work, there are times where you will also fail. This film could be aimed at another audience of inner city school kids searching for a little inspiration. I think students attending other inner-city schools are the only ones that can truly understand that struggle. So this film would be wildly popular if shown to another inner city football team because they get it. However, inner-city school students are not the only people who would enjoy and take away from this film. Another potential audience could be any sports team coach. The coaching style of Bill Courtney is a unique style. Courtney acts almost as a father to his boys. In a scene with one of his players, "Money", he shows how much he cares about his players. The team has gathered to watch the film of their last game, Money and another boy get into a small fight and Money storms out. Well, Coach Courtney is not having that. Courtney goes to Money's house and explains to him how he must behave and how he must be a man about conflict. I think that Coach Courtney could have very well left Money to pout but Courtney decided to go that extra mile to reassure Money he is still a part of the team and he is still important despite what happened. In my opinion, this film was well put together. Undefeated is a classic feel-good movie but has the realistic element of defeat. The underlying themes of hard work and pride truly make the film all the better. Any audience would enjoy watching this movie more than once.

UNDEFEATED is a documentary film produced in 2012 about an inner city high-school and their football team. Manassas High-school located in Memphis, Tennessee is followed throughout their season as they try to make the playoffs for the first time in their school's history. At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to the main characters; the head coach and a few seniors who started with him since the end of their eight-grade year. During the player's entire high-school football careers, the team has not had a single winning season and the documentary follows these young men into their final season with the guidance of their head coach.As we are introduced to each character, we are also introduced to their own specific story and how it plays a part on who they are today. This theme is supported by the development of each persons as the season goes on. The coach is a moderately wealthy man that owns a business but his real passion lies with football. He spends more time with the football team than his very own business and family. His compassion for his players is continued when he welcomes one of them into his home to be tutored. We are also introduced to the seniors on the team; all of which have grown up in the rough neighborhoods of Memphis but each with their unique trait about them. One senior with a violent past goes through a great personal battle with another player but later in the film comes to terms with not only his anger but with his team. He of all the characters makes the biggest transformation. Another player struggles with academics while trying to pursue his dream of going to college and eventually makes a high enough score on the ACT. Going through a season ending injury and doing whatever he can to play in his last high-school football game is the hardest battle one of these players goes through. As the season goes on, the team being mentored by their head coach, develops into game winning team and not only clinching a playoff seed but also home-field advantage. The overall athleticism and skills of the players increase as well as the team begins to win and have momentum. One thing the film does really well is showcase the development of the characters and the team as a whole. At the beginning, the team struggles to perform simple passing plays but now is a 2nd half come-back team and on a winning streak. But when the team faces a loss, the team handles it professionally with their chins held high. Also the film builds great suspense by showing the importance of winning a game because a loss would mean an end to the season. Suspense is also built with one of the players suffering an injury and his ability to heal so he could play in his last football game.Overall, UNDEFEATED is a good film. It isn't a potential threat to Remember the Titans as the best football movie but it does a good job. I really enjoyed the journey the team went through and the hardships they endured. The director does a good job with scenery and putting the audience on the football field with the team. The film is raw, meaning there is profanity and real emotions being showcased like in the real world. The film also does shows the hardship of life by referencing the closure of the Firestone plant and how it affected local economy and way of life. The city of Memphis suffered tremendously and many of its citizens became unemployed. The audience's hope for success is satisfied at the end of the film when the characters graduate and go on to their respective paths. UNDEFEATED can be watched by anyone; however, with the film will be most enjoyed by people who follow sports and especially football

This is the story of the Manassas High School football team and their coach. It is a predominately black school in Tennessee. They have never had much success because they are lacking in every area, money, hope, and talent. A white coach who pretty much gives his entire life to his young charges, works to get them successful in the classroom and on the field. They have a chance to win the first playoff game in the history of the school, but he must nursemaid them in every way he can to get them to that point. They have one division one prospect, a huge offensive lineman, whose academics are at issue. He has a loose cannon kid who has spent time in prison and has just returned, carrying his baggage onto the team. There is nothing simplistic about this film. These young men have two strikes against them and this is a chance to be true team. It's hard to reproduce the heart that is in this movie. Just see it and ask yourself if it isn't one of the best sports films you've ever seen.

First off, I know very little about American Football. I know the rules pretty much but I am English and it doesn't exactly get a lot of coverage in Europe.Anyway, what this film is really about is an indefatigable coach and a bunch of kids living in a tough environment who have found someone who cares about how well they do on and off the pitch. It really is that simple. The winning of football games is an irrelevance in my opinion as this is about the mentality that he instills in his charges and how they take that faith and do great things with it. There are no great production values and most of the footage is hand-held but is well edited and tells the story very well. **SPOILER** One wonders if the following of the team's successes (by the film makers) was a happy coincidence...or whether they were buoyed by the presence of the film unit thus effecting their performances. That, maybe, is another discussion about the empiricism of documentary film making. But, whatever, this is a fantastic documentary and should definitely be added to your watch list.