We breakdown if the newly released film is a win or if it broke the bracket.

Although spring is marching near, it doesn’t always feel like it. The cold weather is still here. The snow is still here. When will it go away? It's like when your midwestern mom is hosting a party and it ended an hour ago, but the guests are still slowly walking towards the door after they have said goodbye four times. And you sit there wondering if it’s ever going to end or if the guests are just going to move in at this point.

Anyway, people are looking for something to warm them up. What better way than a heart-warming comedy?

“Champions” director is no stranger to creating a good comedy. Bobby Farrelly is one of the Farrelly brothers (the other is Peter) known for directing iconic and quirky comedies such as “Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something About Mary.” But Bobby’s “Champions” film was done solo.

Although the director was solo, Bobby had some help from established comedic actors to create this story. Woody Harrelson stars as a minor league basketball coach in Iowa, Marcus, who then becomes a former minor league basketball coach after a physical altercation… and a DUI. He is then court ordered to coach a team of players with intellectual disabilities.

The film released to theaters on March 10, 2023, and has done objectively well with box office sales and audience reviews. Still, if you are considering seeing this film or you have already seen the story, we are going through the highlights and lowlights. Or, the slam dunks and air balls if you will.

Slam dunk: cast

While the cast is fun and full of promising young actors and actresses, it also has a good mix of actors that have had comedies under their belt such as Kaitlin Olson, Cheech Marin and Ernie Hudson. You can just tell by watching the film that the cast had lots of fun creating it and that makes the film fun for the viewer as well.

Air ball: sex jokes

Quirky and dumb jokes are part of the reason why people enjoy comedy films by the Farrelly brothers. Of course a sex joke or two can be funny and make you feel like you’re in middle school again, but the film uses maybe too many that the comedy starts to fade away a bit. Still, it can give you a little chuckle, iy just feels like it falls short sometimes.

Slam dunk: love and empathy

As a heartwarming movie, there has to be a love plotline. Not only is there romance between Harrelson and Olson’s characters, but there seems to be love all around and it grows throughout the movie. Love for the team, love for the sport and eventually, a team that loves their new coach.

Air ball: plot line

A heartwarming sports movie that starts with a narcissistic coach who is forced to be there and a group of underdogs. If you’ve seen “Mighty Ducks,” then you can pretty much guess the direction that this film is going in. In fact, if you have seen any sports comedy movie then you can pretty much guess the plot of this film. Still, the predictable plot doesn’t make “Champions” any less fun and feel good.

Slam dunk: character development

Each character has their own struggle and character arc throughout the movie. It’s nice to see that not only the main character has grown, but all of the characters have an opportunity to overcome something and change for the better towards the end of the film. We all want someone to cheer on and in the end, turn out better than how they were introduced to you, and “Champions” gives us just that.

Air ball: length

The movie contains a lot of plot and scenes, and it shoes. The film would be more rewatchable and have a stronger impact on the audience if it was less than two hours in length. But, the extended time does make room for the character arcs of many characters (and more time to binge on buttery, salty popcorn).

Overall, “Champions” is a fun and heartwarming sports movie with a diverse set of characters and representation of actors who deserved to see the spotlight. It was a win in our book.

Did you see the “Champions” film? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter @pulltabsports.

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