Champions review: A slam dunk for fans of big-hearted comedies | Films | Entertainment
After Woody Harrelson’s selfish, short-fused basketball coach Marcus is arrested for drink-driving, a judge sentences him to 90 days’ community service coaching a basketball team of teens with learning disabilities.
When he sees (and, in the case of one water phobic lad, smells) his players, Marcus wonders if he should have insisted on a stint in prison. But, slowly, the warmth and courage of the kids gets under his thick skin.
Can Marcus turn them into Special Olympics champs? And will they turn a gruff alpha male into a decent human being?
The Spanish film was based on a true story but, here, director Bobby Farrelly rarely strays from the template of the underdog sports flick.
Yet formulas exist for a reason. Great performances from the youngsters and a rousing and witty script make this a slam dunk for fans of big-hearted comedies.
