THE WINNING SEASON
US, 2009, 119 minutes, Colour.
Sam Rockwell, Emma Roberts, Rob Corddry, Rooney Mara, Margo Martindale.
Directed by James C. Strouse.
The Winning Season is another of those sports films about an unlikely team and their even more unlikely coach. It is in the vein of such films as The Mighty Ducks.
This time the sport is girls’ basketball at high school. Emma Roberts is the leader of the team which includes a group of young actresses including Rooney Mara who was to go on to The Social Contract and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Rob Corddrey is the headmaster. Sam Rockwell gives some strength to the film as the coach, an alcoholic, a has-been coach who was not a success at high school, who is separated from his wife and alienated from his daughter.
The film has the usual ingredients, touches of comedy as well as of drama, an eccentric group of girls in the team, training, gradual winning – and building up a spirit which enables them to win. However, there is also drama in the episodes about the coach, his wife, his daughter and a counsellor, his going back drinking, his being ousted by the principal of the school but trying all kinds of ways to coach the girls in the final match. He is helped by the bus driver, Margo Martindale. This brings up issues of lesbianism, young girls and their finding their identity and the repercussions – an unexpected theme in this kind of sports-oriented film.
The film is very much in the vein of this kind of sports film – but entertaining enough to watch.
1. An American sports film, the tired coach, the poor team, the clashes, personality difficulties, the development of the team, ultimate success, personal stories and relationships?
2. The title, expectations? The nature of winning, playing the sport?
3. The Indiana setting, Middle America, high schools, staff, curriculum, the students, racial issues, ethnic issues, bitterness? Families?
4. Bill, his reputation, separated from his wife, alienated from his daughter, the scenes of clashes, the visits? His working in the diner, literally washing up and washed up? The visit of the principal, the offer? His quitting?
5. Going to the school, the girls, their attitude, his attitude towards girls’ basketball? The meeting, gawky, hostility, insults? Getting them to run, train? His staying? His talking with the girls? Abby and her going to persuade him to stay?
6. The collages of the matches, the early matches, the poor teamwork, the razzamatazz of the other teams, their being beaten?
7. Bill and his advice, picking up, travelling to play, beginning to win? Bill and his discussions with Donna? Getting her as an assistant?
8. The range of matches, the improvements, the principal and his clothes, support?
9. Abby and her boyfriend, his not watching her games, her going to his, his break-up with her, her ditching him? The presence of the girls at school, their cliqueiness, racial issues?
10. The lesbian issue, the principal and his raising it, Bill and his asking Donna, the discussions? Attitudes? The principal’s daughter, her feelings for the player, the explanation? Bill’s handling of the situation?
11. Wendy, going with the older man, the shoe shop, Bill and his going and attacking the man, warning him off?
12. The Hispanics, issues of language? The girl not able to speak English? Yet on the team? The African American and her bitterness?
13. Bill, his drinking, meetings with his daughter, taking her from the party? Her resentment? Going back to the diner, working again? His return to the match, dressing as the clown, his being exposed, the phone calls, his daughter and giving him the phone? The girl missing the basket at the end and her feelings? Bill’s support?
14. The issues with his daughter, watching her playing her match, her resentment and behaviour, insulting him, going to the counsellor and the session being a failure? Praising her, her help with the phone?
15. Bill and his achievement – and the optimism of the film – and success through teamwork, competitiveness and sport?
