When the Game Stands Tall

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When the Game Stands Tall

PG

2014

1h 55m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

21%

Tomatometer

68 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In 2003, high-school football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) and his De La Salle Spartans have just completed an incredible 151 consecutive victories and 12-straight state championships. While the team's seniors receive offers from colleges all over the country, the advancing juniors look forward to making their mark. However, beloved "Coach Lad" has a brush with calamity, while the Spartans face their most-challenging, most-unpredictable season yet.

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Critics Consensus

An uneasy blend of solid game sequences and threadbare inspirational sports drama clichés, When the Game Stands Tall is overshadowed by better players in a crowded field.

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Bilge Ebiri

New York Magazine/Vulture

The real-life story behind When the Game Stands Tall sounds amazing. But for all its exciting sports scenes, the movie version falls flat as drama.

Aug 22, 2014

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Susan Wloszczyna

RogerEbert.com

Most often in its early stages, the melodrama onscreen edges precipitously close to dissolving into a puddle of platitudinous pabulum served in the manner of a rote Sunday school lesson.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 22, 2014

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Steven D. Greydanus

National Catholic Register

A faith-friendly sports film that's more interested in extolling character than in developing characters.

Rated: C+

Aug 22, 2014

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Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

For football fans the movie brings a famous story to life. For the rest of us it plays like an after school special with better production value.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 1, 2021

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

One of the better inspirational sports stories to come along in recent years.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 27, 2020

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Allen Almachar

The MacGuffin

The finished product did not do enough to make me forget this is another typical sports film. It felt generic, recycled, and forgettable.

Rated: C-

Jul 20, 2020

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thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/04/25

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Ed R

One of the most inspirational movies you'll ever watch, whether it be sports related or not.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/26/25

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Daniel D

I have heard of the book by Pat Hayes, but have not read it, I saw this film in the theater with my brother and my parents, when it came out and it almost instantly became one of my favorite movies, even though I wasn't one to go to movie theaters, the scene where Terence was shot and killed by Darren, even though I didn't cry, still kind of got to me. The fact that it happened just before Terence was supposed to move out of state, and move away from Richmond, to Eugene. It kind of made me think of my hometown, by comparison (I grew up in Los Angeles, and the criticism that the city gets for being seen by people who live outside of the city) in my opinion, I like how they combined two CIF sections, the North Coast, & the Southern Sections into this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

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High F

The movie is a winner and leaves you feeling refreshed. I hope all my friends get to experience this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/06/25

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Dennis H

Great football flic.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/31/24

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Ryan

Don't get me wrong it's definitely not perfect and some acting isn't great but it has just enough for me to keep me interested

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/29/23

Full Review

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Thomas Carter

Director

Jim Caviezel

Bob Ladouceur

Michael Chiklis

Terry Eidson

Alexander Ludwig

Chris Ryan

Clancy Brown

Mickey Ryan

Laura Dern

Bev Ladouceur

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Synopsis

In 2003, high-school football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) and his De La Salle Spartans have just completed an incredible 151 consecutive victories and 12-straight state championships. While the team's seniors receive offers from colleges all over the country, the advancing juniors look forward to making their mark. However, beloved "Coach Lad" has a brush with calamity, while the Spartans face their most-challenging, most-unpredictable season yet.

Director: Thomas Carter
Producer: David Zelon
Screenwriter: Scott Marshall Smith
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Mandalay Sports Media
Rating: PG (Brief Smoking|A Scene of Violence|Thematic Material)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 22, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $30.1M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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