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Touchback

Play trailer Poster for Touchback PG-13 Released Apr 13, 2012 1h 58m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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38% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A man (Brian Presley) seeks counsel from his longtime mentor (Kurt Russell) when he gets a unique opportunity to revisit his youth and the injury that ended his promising football career.
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Touchback

Critics Reviews

View All (13) Critics Reviews
Bill Goodykoontz Arizona Republic Earnestness and obviousness compete for supremacy early on in Don Handfield's film, with the latter fully in front; happily, earnestness stages a comeback by the end. Rated: 3/5 Apr 19, 2012 Full Review Joe Leydon Variety A lightweight and overlong feel-good drama that plays like a mashup of It's a Wonderful Life and Friday Night Lights. Apr 16, 2012 Full Review William Goss Film.com Are any of them alone reason enough to sit through two hours of warmed-over life lessons? Not particularly, but it should be said that the cast and crew have made a fair stride towards redeeming earnest low-budget filmmaking of this ilk... Apr 13, 2012 Full Review Jeff Beck We Got This Covered Touchback is a sweet family film that ultimately lacks enough insight into the main character's thought process as he struggles to make a decision that could change his life. Rated: 6/10 Jan 16, 2013 Full Review Jeff Beck Examiner.com [I]t's not a bad film. It just needed a little trimming and a little work on the ending. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 16, 2012 Full Review William Bibbiani CraveOnline Touchback isn't a bad movie, aside from the makeup effects that look like someone just shoved a pillow down Bryan Presley's shirt. It's just an unconvincing one. Rated: 5/10 Sep 7, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (106) audience reviews
GT S What an enjoyable movie. Just solid on many levels. Kurt Russell is quite good and Brian Presley, the protagonist, stellar. And of course Christine Lahte turns in her usual wonderful performance. This movie will entertain you with trips down your own Memory Lane of high school, but also possibly even profoundly change your outlook on the future. I can't believe this great woulda/shoulda/coulda/what if film currently only has 63% approval with fans. To me, it's a real winner and actually gets better with each viewing. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/13/24 Full Review Joshua W I came in expecting it to be awful because it was so lowly rated, but I found it reminding me of why we love sports--that somehow sports, at the same time, teach us that they matter so much--such that we are willing to give everything for them--but also teach us that they matter so little in comparison with greater values. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/22/24 Full Review geezer For those who panned the movie, you have no clue what really goes on in real life in situations like this. I spent 7 years living in northwest Ohio and I'm familiar with the town and football history of Coldwater. Coldwater always has very good football teams and they often beat much larger schools. It is a rural town in western Ohio, not too far from the Indiana border. Farming is the biggest part of the life in Coldwater, and Ohio State does recruit Coldwater. Some kids like living in a small town, like living on the farm, etc. Some kids don't like living in a small town, and this young man is thinking to get out of Podunk and give his mom a better life, not realizing that mom doesn't really want to be saved. The young man in question has an unrealistic expectation that someday he's going to play pro ball, make a lot of money, and then all those "problems" will go away. For some reason, he hasn't caught on to the fact that a small % of college players actually make it to the pros. This is pretty close to the truth to what a lot of small town kids going to a small town high school and thinking they are going to be a pro. But, of course, most "critics" are only interested in the "artsy" part, but they need to get out into the real world sometime and see what really goes on every day of every year. This scenario is played out a lot of times each year in small towns across the US where football is king. Doesn't matter if it is in rural Ohio, far west Texas, or the hills in Arkansas... this happens every year to a lot of kids... moms.... and coaches. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member A great film that reminds of what is important to us. A lot of good lessons taught here. We should all aspire to reach our goals and dreams yet don't forgot where you came from. Very uplifting and relevant to everyday life. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Sandra C Summary: A beautifully crafted and inspiring film Now first up, this is is NOT a cheery, superficial feel-good sports film AT ALL - do not watch it if you are looking only for that. It is so much more..... Many times on the movie it harked me back to the film 'Field of Dream'. The cinematography has a similar beautiful dream-like quality. It is a story themed with many totally relatable experiences. Just replace football and add band, cheer-leading, dance, debating or chess club - anything that figured strongly in your life at one point but circumstances ended it. There has been many a night, when all of us have looked back and said, "what if I tried" "What if I had listened", "What if I could go back and do it again". Yes we might be more successful with the benefit of hindsight but I wouldn't have my greatest treasures in my current life including my community, my long-standing relationships, my family. The great thing about movies like this is they stir emotions you forgot you had. They remind you that its never too late to try, to rise up from hardships, or to simply be thankful and grateful. I hope you give this movie a chance, and try to relate to it the best you can. It is a beautiful ride!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/27/20 Full Review Audience Member Football movie with major movie mistake in opening scene. Movies open with a kickoff near the end of the game. Player returns ball to opponents side of field and calls timeout, to stop the clock. The clock would have not been running and there would be no need for a timeout. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Touchback

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A man (Brian Presley) seeks counsel from his longtime mentor (Kurt Russell) when he gets a unique opportunity to revisit his youth and the injury that ended his promising football career.
Director
Don Handfield
Producer
Brian Presley, Kevin Matusow, Carissa Buffel, Lisa Kearns
Screenwriter
Don Handfield
Distributor
Anchor Bay
Production Co
Freedom Films, Emmett/Furla Oasis Films
Rating
PG-13 (Some Mature Thematic Elements)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 13, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 31, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$204.1K
Runtime
1h 58m
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