When the Game Stands Tall tells the true story of a high school football team that had a 151 game winning streak under coach Bob Ladouceur. This team was the De La Salle Spartans, a San Francisco area Catholic school that attracts many talented athletes. Many of these athletes have gone to play in the NFL: Maurice Jones-Drew (Oakland Raiders), T.J. Ward (Denver Broncos) and D.J. Williams (Chicago Bears). This is just a handful.

The gridiron action is authentic-looking and exciting, though the bone-crushing sound effects become more pronounced the longer the movie goes on. For Jim Caviezel’s portrayal of head coach Bob Ladouceur, it’s not about winning or even how you play the game; it’s about character, commitment and brotherhood.

The year is 2005. The De La Salle Spartans just came off another state championship.Bob’s son Danny, played by Matthew Daddario, reacts to his father’s brush with mortality with disconcerting selfishness: “You’re gonna coach me next season, right?” But when Bob tries to connect with Michael on a personal level, Michael whines, “The whole time I needed a father, I got a coach. Now I need a coach, and all I’ve got is a lame dad.”

The film insists that there’s more to life than football. Yet the players urgently tell one another, not only at the outset, but even at the climax, “No matter where we go or what we achieve, nothing is going to come close to what we have here.” The idea of life climaxing at high school is depressing enough; more importantly, it undermines the movie’s bid for larger themes.

When the Game Stands Tall is a great example of perseverance and character. I would recommend to anyone looking for a good movie to watch this one.