'Champions' Is A Winner
What does it mean to be a champion? Is it only to win or gain prestige? Or is it about being a good human being? Champions redefines the term's meaning beyond a Nike commercial or Creed III. Its messaging is kind-hearted, if not a little too sweet in the end. Director Bobby Farrelly makes a charming film that depicts the spectrum with far more taste than The Ringer.
For those unaware of The Ringer, it's a 2005 film starring Johnny Knoxville, where an averagely intelligent man enters the Special Olympics to rig the game so he can win money and pay off his debts. If the premise sounds tasteless, that's because the movie is. By casting people who are disabled, the filmmakers were possibly able to make the movie. I could picture them in the pitch meeting saying something to the effects of "we're casting actual Special Olympians, so we're not exploiting them." If they cast actors pretending to be special, the film would have been outwardly insulting. Yet what's inwardly offensive is the misuse of the Special Olympians, who play more as punchlines than people. Champions is The Ringer done right.
Like The Ringer, Champions casts actors on the spectrum. The players have unique lives that tie to their personalities, making them more than just their medical label. When presenting the players, the film cuts to a montage explaining their lives and how they're a multitude of spectrums. Some players live independently, while others rely on the support of their families to get by all while showing these are people, not labels.
Helming the film is Woody Harrelson. Woody plays Marcus Marakovich, an NBA side coach who's a loose cannon. During an NBA game, Marcus gets physical with the team's coach, Phil Perretti (Ernie Hudson), causing him to get fired. To make matters worse. Marcus gets a DUI after crashing his car into a police vehicle. Marcus is like Bobby Knight if he had a heart. Instead of serving time, Marcus is sent to provide community service by coaching a basketball team of adults with special needs. Marcus isn't thrilled with his new position. To him, it's an embarrassing place to be in. Champions is like Hoosiers mixed with The Bad News Bears, in which the story follows the path of a disgruntled coach who over the course of the plot's narrative, gathers a passion for his team.
In between the time with Coach Marcus and his team is a love story that could have used some revision in the writing room. Marcus scores a one-night stand with Alex (Kaitlin Olson). And wouldn't you know it, she's siblings with one of the players from Marcus’ team. The first thing that comes to mind as a red flag is the extreme age difference between Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson. I get people of all ages hook up, but it's still jarring to see Woody romancing someone who could qualify as his daughter. The love story is minimal compared to the rest of the narrative, focusing on Marcus' morale with the athletes.
The cast of athletes is a delightful bunch, each with a unique set of personalities. One player likes to trick shot the ball from behind his head. Although he never makes the basket, he's perfectly happy with what he's doing, even if it doesn't benefit the team. Johnny (Kevin Lannucci) needs help following Coach Marcus' directions and never showers. Through Johnny's refusal to bathe comes one of the film's most touching scenes involving a mouse in the shower room.
Darius (Joshua Felder) is the team all-star who thinks he's too cool to join Coach Marcus. Coenito (Madison Tevlin) is the other standout of the team who acts as a secondary leader to Marcus, rallying the band to work together. It's certainly not an all-star grade basketball team, but Marcus makes do with what he has.
As the film progresses, so does Marcus' charitability. He learns to love his players and communicate with them in a way he couldn't have without getting to know them. The chemistry between Woody and the team is the linchpin that holds the movie together.
If there's one thing the film could use more of, it's stakes. Champions doesn't need a lot of conflict since it's a comedy. Still, more tension could help feed the narrative, which sometimes can feel like it's dragging its feet behind. Luckily the film is so darned cute that the lack of suspense doesn't matter to the overall story. It's more about how Marcus learns to care for people other than himself.
Winning isn't everything. Sometimes it's better to be a good person. That's a lesson more inspirational sports flicks should get behind. Sure, the coaches in other sports flicks learn how to become better people, but it's all tied to them winning the big game. If they don't win, then what's the point in the sweeping locker room speech? Champions care more about applying decency over competition. When the film wraps, you might feel a little tug in your heart with a smile across your lips. Champions is a win, but not quite a blowout.
