Crooked Arrows

2.5/4

Starring: Brandon Routh, Gil Birmingham, Chelsea Ricketts, Crystal Allen, Tom Kemp

Rated PG-13 for Some Suggestive References

Underdog sports movies are like romantic comedies: the formula doesn't change, but as long as you have an interesting story and likable characters, the movie will usually turn out just fine.  "Crooked Arrows" follows the formula pretty well, but its lead actor is boring and the theme of his spiritual rebirth is inelegantly woven in.

Joe Logan (Routh) is a half-Sunaquot young man who is working for a casino.  The casino's owner, a man named Geyer (Kemp) wants to expand further into Sunaquot land has tasked Joe to convince his tribal council to allow it.  His father Ben (Birmingham) is against it, but the council agrees with the condition that he take a spiritual awakening.  That means coaching the local lacrosse team since the Sunaquot invented the sport to please their gods.  But the team is a ragtag group of players who lack any discipline, and Joe is doing this only to get the addition approved.

The movie is really about Joe's regrowth as a Sunaquot Indian, which is moderately engaging.  But it's also a sports movie, too.  The problem is that director Steve Rash doesn't tie the two together.  As Joe gets more respect for his heritage, the team starts getting better.  What?  Rash may have had in mind that this change is divinely ordained, but if so, it doesn't come across.

The acting is as to be expected for a low-budget movie: adequate, but no one is crying out for Oscar attention. The only real star is Routh, and his performance is merely okay.  The "Superman Returns" star doesn't embarrass himself, but he's not very good either.  Gil Birmingham is solid as Ben, who is disappointed that his son has lost all respect for his heritage (Joe defines the term "sellout").  Chelsea Ricketts is perky and sympathetic, bringing to mind a less melodramatic Rachel Berry (from "Glee," for those who may make the reference without background).  Crystal Allen is a nonentity and Tom  Kemp brings on the sleaze for the "villain."

Subplots are introduced and dropped with some frequency, and one of them not only makes zero sense but is truly bizarre (the introduction of Maug: forest person turned high school student/lacrosse star...huh?).  That being said, there are some things that do work.  The "rich kids" rival team, Covantry, aren't comically evil and their coach, while competitive, isn't a monster.

The final game is suspenseful, and it works as a sports movie.  I liked the movie I guess, but it's too uneven to recommend to those who aren't longing for another underdog sports movie.

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