Drunk driving, arrogance, community service and a basketball team named Friends. A charming story with deep meaning? Light, full of the joy of living and lots of laughter. Woody Harrelon is Marcus, the assistant coach with a minor league basketball team. At a regular game, in a fit of annoyance at the head coach, Marcus shoves him and is kicked off the court. Believing he has been right, he heads to a local sports bar where that scene is being replayed on the big screen TV. Drunk and grumbling to the bartender, he gets in his car, ploughs into the back of a police car and winds up in a court of law. His choice? 18 months in jail or 90 days of community service as coach of a basketball team. All members mentally challenged adults. Against his better judgment and some prejudice, he accepts the Friends. He has some learning to do about humility and the team is more than willing to teach him.
One of the early scenes is a lovely woman leaving his bedroom after a one night stand. Turns out that she is the sister of one of the team members. Johnny, played by Kevin Iannucci, is a very central figure in the story and loves Marcus on sight. Later in the movie he gives Marcus the stink-eye for having a relationship with his sister. One of their players and the only girl on the team, is returning to the game after being out with an injury. Constantino, quite a diva, challenges Marcus as soon as she meets him. Anyone for that matter: Marcus, his assistant and the whole team if they don’t meet with her standards.
Each of the team members has their own history. Woody Harrelson, as Marcus, must mold them into a winning team. If they can beat the other local teams, they will go to Winnipeg for the Special Olympics. Getting the money for such a trip is just one more challenge for the Friends. These people have brain injuries, congenital problems, or Down’s syndrome. Darius, for instance, a good player, refuses to be coached by Marcus because his brain injury was caused by a drunk driver.
I’ll not tell you the outcome of the Special Olympics. Suffice it to say it was a satisfactory ending. Laughing out loud at the antics in the movie, our movie group loved the whole story.
“You know the game better than anybody.
You got to learn to build relationships.”
Coach Phil Peretti, Champions
Directed by: Robert Farrelly
Based on: Campeones by Javier Fesser David Marqués
Writing Credits:Mark Rizzo
Abbreviated Cast:
Woody Harrelson - Marcus (Coach of the Friends)
Kaitlin Olson - Alex
Ernie Hudson - Coach Phil Peretti
Alexandra Castillo - Judge Mary Menendez (as Alex Castillo)
Matt Cook - Sonny
Kevin Iannucci - Johnny
Madison Tevlin - Cosentino
James Day Keith - Benny
Matthew Von Der Ahe - Craig
Ashton Gunning - Cody
Casey Metcalfe - Marlon
Cheech Marin - Julio
Joshua Felder - Darius
Tom Sinclair - Blair
Alex Hintz - Arthur
Bradley Edens - Showtime
Mike Smith - Attorney McCurk
Stephanie Sy - Reporter
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