Film Review: National Champions (2021)

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National Champions (2021)

Thunder Road Films
STXfilms


Release date: 12/10/2021

My Rating: 7/10

#whatonwhatsgood Fan Club Rating: 60%

#whatonwhatsgood Express Review (by: Jovin Tardif)

Just a heads up, you won't be seeing any football in this film.  Ric Roman Waugh's "National Champions" is a sports drama that focuses on the business side of football.  

72 hours before the championship game, quarterback LeMarcus James (Stephan James) and Emmett Sunday (Alexander Ludwig) begin a players' strike hours before the biggest game of the year.  

The reason ... players are suffering devastating injuries while generating billions in revenue for their schools.

Does this seem fair?

Filmed entirely at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, head coach James Lazor (J. K. Simmons), Lil Rel Howery (Coach Ronnie Dunn), Tim Blake Nelson (Rodger Cummings), Andrew Bachelor (Taylor Sheridan), Jeffrey Donovan (Mark Titus), David Koechner (Richard Everly) and Uzo Aduba (Katherine Poe) scramble to try to tackle this situation.

Will this important issue be handled correctly?

Overall, I think you should check it out.  The story was definitely interesting.  I think you will really enjoy the performances by J. K. Simmons (Coach James Lazor) and Uzo Aduba (Katherine Poe).  

Social Media

#NationalChampionsMovie #STXfilms

Genre:

Drama

Cast

Stephan James as LeMarcus James

J. K. Simmons as Coach Lazor

Alexander Ludwig as Emmett

Lil Rel Howery as Coach Dunn

Tim Blake Nelson as Rodger

Andrew Bachelor as Taylor

Jeffrey Donovan as Mike Titus

David Koechner as Everly

Kristin Chenoweth as Bailey Lazor

Timothy Olyphant as Elliott

Uzo Aduba as Katherine

Directed By

Ric Roman Waugh

Produced By

Basil Iwanyk, Brendon Boyea and Greg Economou

Music By

Jonathan Sanford

Stephan James discusses being a part of "National Champions" and his character "LeMarcus"

"I've always aimed to be a part of art that speaks to life, and that speaks to society, and any time you can do that through art it's a beautiful thing. I like to make stories about important subjects that speak to the world and speak to the people.

To be honest, I just love the whole thing. I just thought it was a great story.

I thought LaMarcus's journey was really incredible. I thought he struck me as someone who was incredibly brave, courageous, and a leader. 

A guy who was going to be a trailblazer, going to be at the forefront. A lot of that stuff really resonates with the type of person I am.

So for me it was a no-brainer. Got a great cast, got a great director. Great crew. So far, no complaints, no regrets."

J.K. Simmons who plays "Coach Lazar" discusses "National Champions"

"I love the idea of the story. I love the idea that it takes this really polarizing political issue, and honestly looks at it from every perspective.  

This movie is going to be perceived as Lamarcus against Coach Lazar.  But it's really not because Lamarcus is not wrong and Coach Lazar is not wrong, and the NCAA which is really the antagonist in the movie ... Katherine, as the kind of main one that we focus on is also not entirely wrong.  When that system started it was a system that worked, and it benefited.

Everyone needs to change. I think there's some level of agreement about that.

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