Film Review – 12 Mighty Orphans

It’s one thing to offer an underdog sports story, but “12 Mighty Orphans” presents a football saga set in Texas during the aftermath of the Great Depression. Hope for a measured understanding of adversity is pretty much lost in the opening act of the feature. The material is “inspired by a true story,” giving screenwriters Ty Roberts (who also directs), Lane Garrison, and Kevin Meyer wiggle room with the tale of Coach Rusty Russell and his radical efforts to create a football team out of a collection of teenage orphans, and one that could compete on a statewide level. “12 Mighty Orphans” isn’t looking to be much more than a thick slice of feel-good cinema, but Roberts gets carried away with his depictions of good and evil, transforming the endeavor into a cartoon at times, unwilling to pull back when it comes to a balanced understanding of gridiron glory and individual strife. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com