Champions follows a basketball coach who is wanting to make it big in the NBA. However, after being caught drink driving, he is put on a community corrections order coaching intellectually disabled people to play the sport.

I really like the idea of this movie. It is a wholesome idea and follows on in the execution. It highlights the challenges that intellectually disabled people face and gives us a laugh at the same time.

Woody Harrelson was the perfect casting choice for a struggling basketball coach who likes his alcohol but can be convinced to change his ways by being touched by a group of disadvantaged people. Casting the disabled actors in the film was also the perfect choice. I don't know what else the creators would have done (they probably would have gotten cancelled if they did not make this decision); but still, the decision deserves to be recognised. And the disabled actors did such a great job and it was so enjoyable watching them on screen.

I recall reading somewhere that for many of the disabled actors, this was their first acting gig. I love that so much for these actors. This was, at times, slightly noticeable in the final product. The script sometimes seemed quite unnatural, not only for those actors but also for this big stars such as Woody Harrelson. However, this was exaggerated by the untrained actors' acting. The biggest comparison I can make with the acting and script as a combination is to an insurance company ad.

Objectively, Champions is not an incredible movie. I have found it hard to identify outstanding parts of the film. However, Champions is such an enjoyable movie to watch. It is very easy to look past the film's flaws and appreciate the movie for what it is. It's a very light and funny movie that doesn't go too deep but uses what it has and produces a movie that can be loved by many.

Director: Bobby Farrelly

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson, Matt Cook

Year released: 2023

Review by Tristan Carr

Last edited: 10/09/2023