Undefeated 2011

Mary F. Pols, TIME Magazine: I wanted it blow my mind, to flatten me. Demanding, I know. Read more

Christy Lemire, Associated Press: Bring tissues. You've been warned. And you don't even have to be a sports fan to be moved. Read more

James Rocchi, MSN Movies: ...this story is a familiar one, but it is superbly told, and there's more than a little Memphis funk in the storytelling... to make this filmmaking stand out. Read more

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: While "Undefeated" travels well-tilled inspirational ground, it's also an irresistible story of football, faith and the lust for happily-ever-after black-and-white endings. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: It's diving deeply into knotty matters of patience and parenting, along with plenty of unfixables as well. Read more

John Anderson, Wall Street Journal: It's the kind of story that will stir the heartstrings, and even, quite possibly, those of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: It's a surprisingly moving, emotional film, even for those who (like me) know little of football; by its end, you just might be blinking away a few tears. Read more

Scott Tobias, AV Club: In the abstract, it sounds like the outline for Hollywood's next glossy hit; in its particulars, it's a moving treatment of a team whose fiercest opponent is despair. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: What makes this a terrific film is how much we care about the players. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: "Undefeated'' needs less of what we know we've seen (the football stuff) and more of the players' and coaches' lives, which even if we feel we've seen, we haven't. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: Courtney really does believe all that stuff about adversity and character, and the film is moving for its modest tale of boys learning to act like men. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: I wish the directors had emphasized more of the players' personal lives apart from the football field. But, in the end, this is a documentary about Courtney and the transformative powers of caring. He works wonders on his players and they reciprocate. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: [A] winning documentary. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: It's a bit too long and a bit too vague at times, but this is a film about dedication, progress and the bond of human effort. It just also happens to include football. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: The agony of defeat in this movie is every bit as transporting as the thrill of victory. Read more

David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: A stirring, finely crafted human-interest story about underprivileged lives touched by the rewards of shared experience. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: "Undefeated" presents itself as a look at a single season in the life of a striving high school football team in impoverished North Memphis, Tenn., but really it's about so much more. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: There are interesting edges and unexpected sides to "Undefeated" beginning with that title - because, not long after we've settled in, we watch the team lose its very first game. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: If life is getting you down, an inspirational sports flick is always the right choice. And it's even better if you can find a documentary like the heartwarming "Undefeated." Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: If the film had something to say about football as football instead of football as life, I'd be interested. It doesn't. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Undefeated is undeniably inspirational stuff. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: "Undefeated" is an emotional and effective film, and I'm happy for it. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: A "Hoop Dreams"-style story about sports and society that inspired me and made me mad in about equal portions. Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: It's a credit to directors Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Daniels that the personal stories of the kids and coaches resonate more than the wins and losses. Read more

Dana Stevens, Slate: The ultimate praise given to sports movies is always, "Even if you don't care about sport X, you'll care about these characters," and that's certainly true of Undefeated (I don't, and I did). Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Volunteer high school coach Bill Courtney says, "Football doesn't build character. Football reveals character." The triumphant sports documentary "Undefeated" proves that it does both. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Undefeated" doesn't have a deep penetration of poverty and race in its playbook, but it does have enough heart to make substantial forward progress. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: This film is distinctly minor league. But it does provide the thumbs-up emotional lift of a bumper-sticker message on game day. Read more

Tom Huddleston, Time Out: 'Undefeated' is no 'Hoop Dreams', but it's sturdily built and worthwhile. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: For the most part admirably chooses honest documentation over emotional manipulation. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: Undefeated chronicles a championship season but covers turf that extends miles beyond the football field. Read more

Joe Leydon, Variety: Enjoyably upbeat and intelligently inspiring. Read more

Michael Atkinson, Village Voice: Courtney and his crew all seem like nice people, but if there's an unironic audience for this kind of romantic jock-cup fondling, I'm not interested in knowing it. Read more

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: [A] stirring, emotional portrait of a high school football team in the impoverished neighborhood of North Memphis, Tenn. Read more