American Underdog [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD]

Director: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin Andrew Erwin

Overview

Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin co-direct this biographical sports drama based on the true story of Kurt Warner (Zachary Levi). Kurt, a football hero, started as an undrafted NFL player and later became a two-time Most Valuable Player awardee who led his team to win the Super Bowl. Before his career could take off, Kurt struggled with the decision of playing football, ending up as a supermarket employee. But with the support of his loving wife Brenda (Anna Paquin) and guidance from Coach Dick Vermeil (Dennis Quaid), Kurt embarks on a play that would soon change his life.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/22/2022
UPC:	0031398332107
Original Release:	2021
Source:	Summit Inc/Lionsgate
Language:	English
Sales rank:	18,085

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Zachary Levi	Kurt Warner
Anna Paquin	Brenda Meoni
Hayden Zaller	Zack
Ser'Darius Blain	Mike Hudnutt
Dennis Quaid	Dick Vermeil
Chance Kelly	Mike Martz
Simeon Castille	Isaac Bruce
Bruce McGill	Jim Foster
Adam Baldwin	Coach Allen
Cindy Hogan	Sue Warner
Nicholas Harris	Ray Lewis
Steven Chester Prince	Gene Warner
Dean Denton	David Gillis
Kevin Downes	John Ramsdell
Cora Wilkerson	Jesse (4 Yrs)
Morgana Shaw	Jenny Jo
Danny Vinson	Larry
Andrea Cohen	Weary Teacher
Katie Fountain	Kim
O.J. Keith Simpson	Marshall Faulk
Beau Hart	Young Kurt (9 Yrs)
Bryce Bruckbauer	Young Matt (11 Yrs)
Brett Varvel	Steve 'Mooch' Mariucci
Chris Rhodes	Reggie White
Christopher Rhodes	Reggie White
Joshua Herren	Derek
McKylin Rowe	Marshall
Johnny Horn	Security Guard
Ben Hall	Gas Station Attendant - Edward
Trisha Zarate	Hy-Vee Cashier
Damian Love	Tiny
Matt Bassuener	Brett Favre
Blake Henri	Skinny Rodeo Line Dancer
Doug VanLiew	Hell's Angel Line Dancer
Sean Laube	Pretty Boy Line Dancer
Sean Albertson	Kurt Warner's Agent
Eli Gold	Panthers' Announcer
Gus Johnson	CBS Announcer
Al Michaels	Super Bowl Announcer
Boomer Esiason	Super Bowl Announcer
Brad Nessler	Barnstormers' Announcer
Steve Levy	Sporscenter Anchor
Wally Wallace	Sports Radio Commentator
Keives McGaugh	Reporter

Technical Credits

Jon Erwin

David Aaron Cohen

Jon Gunn

Jon Erwin	Screenwriter,Director,Director,Producer,Producer
David Aaron Cohen	Screenwriter
Jon Gunn	Screenwriter,Executive Producer
Sean Devereaux	Executive Producer
Brenda Warner	Executive Producer,Executive Producer
Tony Young	Executive Producer
Mark Ciardi	Producer
Kevin Downes	Producer
Daryl C. Lefever	Producer

Editorial Reviews

In a different universe, Gigi & Nate may be an Oscar-worthy contender. The story is intriguing, full of drama, and could pack enough punch to bring a tear to your eye. Unfortunately, we do not live in that universe, and Nick Hamm's film is just a forgettable family drama more akin to an "after-school-special" than a major motion picture. Not much can save a movie once it gets off the rails, and Gigi & Nate abandons the rails quickly. The plot moves at a blistering pace, leaving little room for emotional attachment or a cohesive story. At the end of the 114-minute run time, viewers will feel like they have been on an emotional roller coaster but will probably leave the theater without being impacted at all. Nate Gibson (Charlie Rowe) is just a typical high school senior. With college on the horizon, all he cares about is having fun and meeting girls. When tragedy strikes on a family vacation, Nate is air-rushed to a hospital. The doctors tell his family he has contracted meningitis, a potentially fatal disease, which has left Nate paralyzed. Nate's mom, Claire (Marcia Gay Harden), and dad, Dan (Jim Belushi), do everything they can to accommodate his new life, but it just isn't enough. After an attempted suicide, the family decides to adopt a service animal for Nate - a cute little capuchin monkey named Gigi. With the support of his sisters Katy (Josephine Langford) and Annabelle (Hannah Riley), and, of course, Gigi, Nate starts to turn his life around. The ingredients are all here for a compelling movie. David Hudgins's screenplay touches on all the familiar tropes, begging the audience to become attached to the characters on screen. Unfortunately, this never happens, and the story fails to deliver. Thankfully, the core group of actors featured in Gigi & Nate does very well to help move the film along when there is seemingly nothing else going on. Rowe is convincing in his anguish, but also in his new appreciation for the way life is. Harden seems to control the room when she is on screen, demanding the audience's attention, whether they are into the film or not. Hamm's execution of this true story is flawed, as he tends to jump from plot point to plot point, without any room to breathe in between. In one scene, Nate is seen trying to commit suicide, and shortly thereafter, he is in a giddy mood driving to an animal shelter. Gigi & Nate is full of these little inconsistencies in tone and mood. The lack of any real character development is the ultimate downfall of the film, culminating in a lack of appreciation for what is going on. The film is so close to being captivating, but it fails to land the way it is meant to. It may be passable if only for the interesting story behind the movie, but viewers should not expect to see anything spectacular.