MY ALL AMERICAN
By: John ‘Doc’ Strange
My All American opens with the drone shot of the UT football stadium as it looks now. The story starts with a young lady interviewing Darrell Royal (Aaron Eckhart). She asks the coach about who is his favorite of all of the All American players. His reply? “Freddie Steinmark.” But Freddie Steinmark wasn’t an All American! “He was to me!” <Fade to the story of Freddie Steinmark.>
Young Freddie (Alex Brewster) was raised to live football. His father, Fred (Michael Reilly Burke), worked with him daily and attended all of his practices and games. His father’s potential football career was cut short by injury. Was Fred pushing Freddie because of this? Does it matter if Freddie LOVED everything about football, especially playing the game?
Freddie (Finn Wittrock) is the star in school as he grows up. Freddie’s first love is football but he also does excellent in school, keeping a 4.0 grade average. His parents do what they can but the only hope he has of going to college are his football abilities combined with his grades. Fred works the phone and sends letters to every school the family feels that he would want to go to. Sadly, no one is looking to recruit a running back that is not big. He only weighs about 140 pounds.
It is during this time in high school that he met the love of his life, Linda (Sarah Bolger). It is also the time when his spot in the starting lineup were threatened by the new kid, Bobby Mitchell (Rett Terrell). Instead of being upset or angry, Freddie makes friends with Bobby and the two become a team to be reckoned with.
That teaming up is noticed by the coach. He calls his buddy at the University of Texas to come take a look at the boys. He likes what he sees. The boys are brought to Austin to tour the facility and talk to Coach Royal. He offers both full scholarships though he tells Freddie he will be playing defense, probably as a free safety.
This is Fred and Freddie’s dream! It’s not Notre Dame but UT has a great program and excellent academics! Freddie is surprised by Linda who changes her application to UT and is accepted. The two will be going to the same school! All looks perfect!
The first year in the program is tough. Coach Royal’s new program is based on a system that their star quarterback, Bill Bradley (Donnie Boaz), just can’t seem to master. Freddie works hard. He becomes friend with one of the reserve quarterbacks, James Street (played by his real son, Justin Street!).
We follow the team as they work out how to make the coach’s plays work. When Street replaces Bradley as the starting quarterback, the team continues to improve and eventually became the power in the conference and the nation, having a perfect season.
But behind the scenes, Freddie is having real problems with his leg. The pain eventually becomes enough to affect his game. Linda tries to get him to see a doctor but he is determined to finish the season before he lets anyone look at the leg. During the last game of the season, he is benched for a while because he simply can’t run fast enough to keep up with the offensive players he is covering. He is allowed back in for the end of the game.
That is the end of his career. The doctor’s find advanced stage bone cancer in his leg. They can’t figure out how he was able to play as long as he did. To try and save his life, the leg is removed.
He asks the doctor for permission to go to see the team play in the Cotton Bowl against the team he once hoped to play for, Notre Dame. The doctor says NO WAY. Freddie finds a way, practicing with the crutches hour after hour (without the doctor finding out because the nurses know and are OK with it). He gets to the Cotton Bowl and gets to the locker-room in time to see the team. He leads the team out of the tunnel. This game scene, the re-enactment of the 1970 Cotton Bowl Classic, is heart wrenching and at the same time so very well done.
The film then swings back to the interview with Coach Royal where we get the final update about just how important Freddie Steinmark is to the University of Texas and especially the football team.
This is a heart-warming but sad story that examines the life and accomplishments of a young man who gave his all for his team. To this day, every UT football team pays tribute to this man’s courage. I thought I knew the story when I walked into the theater. I was wrong. The filmmakers have given Freddie’s story the stage it deserves. It is a wonderful film. That said, guys, when you go, be sure to take a BIG wad of tissues or napkins. You are likely to use as many of them as your date!
Directed by: Angelo Pizzo
Cast: Finn Wittrock, Aaron Eckhart, Sarah Bolger, Robin Tunney, Michael Reilly Burke, Rett Terrell, Juston Street
MPAA Rating: PG (for thematic elements, language and brief partial nudity)
Selig Rating: FULL PRICE
Runtime: 118 Min.
Movie Site: http://www.myallamerican.com/all
The Selig Rating Scale:
FULL PRICE – Excellent movie, well worth the price
MATINEE – Good movie
DOLLAR – OK movie
CABLE – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
FREEBIE – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn't paid for it.
COMMERCIAL TV – Commercials and cutting to the allotted time will not hurt this one.
FORGET IT! – Bad. If you see this one, do yourself a favor and keep it to yourself.
GET YOUR TORCHES – BAD! – Burn the script, the writer, the director and maybe even the actors!
