From the Grocery Store to the Pro- Football Hall of Fame. American Underdog: The Story of Kurt Warner.

Hello everyone!

      One of the most inspiring real-life stories in American sports is that of Kurt Warner. Warner is a former Super Bowl-winning player and Hall of Famer. He is considered the “NFL's Greatest Undrafted Player,” as he was the only undrafted player to win the NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP, as well as the only undrafted quaterback to start and win a Super Bowl in NFL; however, these remarkable achievements came after a long list of frustrations: failing as a college football player, failing in his first experience with a professional team, playing on an arena football team and working at a supermarket. It is this extraordinary "movie-like" tale that sets the stage for the biopic American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story.

      The story begins with young Warner (Zachary Levi) in his days as a college football player at the University of Northern Iowa. During that time, he meets Brenda (Anna Paquin), a mother of two, divorced and former Marine, whom he falls in love with, and and eventually marries. The film shows us how the two meet each other's parents and how Kurt becomes attached to Zach (Hayden Zaller), Brenda's oldest son who is a blind boy. Along with this, Kurt starts to experience frustrating events that jeopardize his dream of becoming a professional football player: time went by, he was still a free agent and no professional team was interested in his service. By the end of the movie, he gets the great opportunity to sign a contract with the St. Louis Rams under the orders of coach Dick Vermeil (Dennis Quaid). This coach gives him the opportunity to play for his team, thus beginning Kurt’s unexpected success story as a professional footballer.

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      American Underdog is an inspirational sports drama with very little football and on-field action. Little or nothing is shown about the mechanics of the sport or about the key moments, statistics and skills that led Warner to become a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP and Hall of Fame quarterback. This could be considered a "flaw" in the film for those who were hoping for more emphasis on such aspects of the player's professional life. Unfortunately for these fans, this was not the case. The main emphasis of the film is to show how Kurt and Brenda overcame the adversities that came their way on the road to success. Likewise, it shows how the Warners attribute that success to their positivity, optimism, good acting and their faith. Not surprisingly,the film was directed by Andrew and Jon Erwin, who have had much success in inspirational films of the Christian faith. Make no mistake, however, this is not a film in which the protagonist's faith or religion is questioned. On the contrary, it is a film aimed at all audiences with a hopeful and inspirational message based on an incredible life story.

      In short, American Underdog is a light, entertaining, family friendly and very, moving film. There is no way the movie can be labeled as negative. Who doesn't find the story of a guy who goes from stocking shelves in a supermarket to NFL superstar and NFL Hall of Fame to be extraordinary? It's worth watching just to enjoy the message of self-improvement and inspiration. It's worth watching to get to know and admire Kurt and his family. For lovers of biopics, dramas and inspirational films, I firmly recommend this film. You can check the trailer below:

Trivia:🏆

The young actor who plays the role of Zach (Hayden Zaller) is a blind child in real life.

Thanks for reading!