Facing the Giants (2006) Samuel Goldwyn Films/Drama RT: 111 minutes Rated PG (some thematic elements) Director: Alex Kendrick Screenplay: Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick Music: Mark Willard Cinematography: Bob Scott Release date: September 29, 2006 (US) Cast: Alex Kendrick, Shannen Fields, Tracy Goode, Bailey Cave, Steve Williams, Tommy McBride, James Blackwell, Jim McBride, Ray Wood, Brandon Glow, Jason McLeod, Chris Willis, Erin Bethea, Mark Richt. Box Office: $10.1M (US)
Rating: *** ½
You all know me well enough by now to know I’m not a sports fan. I don’t watch games on TV. I don’t check scores on-line. I switch off the nightly news when they start talking about sports. However, there’s something I find intriguing about the Friday night football culture in Southern states. The bright lights, glowing scoreboard, cheerleaders getting the crowds all revved up, coaches huddled on the sidelines, players encouraging their teammates from the bench and crowds of fans cheering on their favorite teams.
When you put it like that, it does sound exciting. It’s good when a movie captures this spirit as well as Facing the Giants, a faith-based football drama about a team of underdogs who turn things around after putting their fate in God’s hands. Coach Grant Taylor (Kendrick, Courageous) is in danger of losing his job at Shiloh Christian Academy. After six unexceptional seasons, the Eagles’ fathers and assistant coach (Blackwell) want him out of there. The more talented players are transferring to other schools because being on a winning team looks better on their college transcripts. The current football season starts poorly with three consecutive losses. Taylor’s personal life isn’t much better. His car keeps breaking down, his house needs repairs and he’s just learned he’s the reason his wife Brooke (Fields) can’t get pregnant. The man can’t catch a break.
Completely frustrated and feeling defeated, Grant prays for guidance. Then it hits him. Inspired by his old football coach, he comes up with a new, unorthodox game plan for his team and himself. It’s simple, turn it all over to God and praise Him win or lose. He encourages each and every one of his players, telling them that with God’s guidance, anything is possible. Once the coach changes the way he runs the football program, many great things start to happen. The team starts winning games. Many of his detractors reverse their stance and come out in support of Grant. This positive new attitude spreads throughout the school and starts a small revival of faith. All of this leads to the eventual showdown between the Eagles and defending champions, the Giants, in the state championship.
Facing the Giants is interesting on both an emotional and spiritual level. Directed by Alex Kendrick (Fireproof) who co-wrote the screenplay with brother Stephen, it’s a production of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA. Made with a mostly non-professional cast and crew on a tight budget of $100,000, it looks just as good as any mainstream movie. The football scenes are especially well done thanks to Bob Scott, veteran cinematographer for NFL Films and second unit cameraman for Friday Night Lights. The only paid professional on set other than sound guy Rob Whitehurst (also of NFL Films), he brings a measure of authenticity to the gridiron scenes.
Facing the Giants is just as effective in quieter moments like when Taylor prays for spiritual guidance in a field near his home with the sun beaming down on him as he stands there with his arms spread. It may be an obvious image, but it works. Another scene where an angry, rebellious player reconciles with his father after Taylor tells him he must honor and obey him no matter what is very touching. One of the more obvious Biblical references is a new player named Davey (Cave), a smaller boy encouraged to join the team as a placekicker by his handicapped father (Williams). In the end, he goes up against the Giants. Are any of them named Goliath by any chance?
One of the most interesting characters is Mr. Bridges (Wood), an old man who walks through the empty hallways and prays for students as he touches their lockers. He tells Taylor a parable about two farmers who pray for rain and while one just waits patiently for the rain, the other prepares his fields for it. Which one of these farmers really trusts in God? Contrary to how it sounds, Facing the Giants is neither preachy nor sanctimonious. It maintains the right balance of football action and sermon.
The acting is fairly amateurish, but in their defense, the untrained actors give better performances than one would expect. I have to give a lot of credit to Alex Kendrick, also an associate pastor at Sherwood, who wore a lot of hats in the making of Facing the Giants. He’s a decent actor and seems to know how to direct. I understand and respect what he’s getting at here. The messages in his movie are important; there are people in the world that might benefit from hearing them. If more athletic programs were run this way, we might see more players that young people could look up to as positive role models. The characters in Facing the Giants support positive values and strong morals; it shows in their actions and attitudes. Spiritual strength means more than physical strength, although the two are not mutually exclusive.
I’m not supposed to be proselytizing here; I’m supposed to be giving an objective review of Facing the Giants. Why don’t I get back to that? I think it’s a great film. Is it entertaining? You bet it is! Will sports fans like this movie? Probably, as long as they don’t mind a generous helping of religion on the side. The spiritual and emotional drama are equally compelling and moving. It’ll have you cheering for the underdogs as they strive to emerge victorious on and off the field. There’s nothing artificial about Facing the Giants. It’s completely sincere and authentic. It’s also exciting. What more could you ask of a sports movie?
