Synopsis: Product DescriptionTeenagers at a juvenile detention center, under the leadership of their counselor, gain self-esteem by playing football together. Star Jade Yorker, Rock, Xzibit, Vanessa Ferlito Special Features: Widescreen Format.Amazon.comIn Gridiron Gang, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson once again displays far more cinematic charisma than one could expect from a former professional wrestler. Sean Porter (Johnson, Be Cool), a football player turned juvenile detention counselor, wrestles with a seemingly insolvable problem: The vast majority of young men who leave detention fall right back into crime. Seeking a way to give these not-yet-hardened kids a taste of self-esteem and discipline, Porter persuades his superiors to let him teach the kids football–and then take on high school teams. Though based on a true story (documentary footage over the closing credits reveals that some dialogue was lifted straight from the real Sean Porter’s mouth), Gridiron Gang is pure underdogs-overcome-adversity formula. A formula is not necessarily a bad thing; when executed with skill and commitment, fulfilling a classic story mechanism can be perfectly satisfying, and Gridiron Gang qualifies. But it’s Johnson who carries it through, demonstrating–in the most unlikely of roles–a surprisingly gentle touch. Johnson manages to be manly without overbearing machismo, earning not only respect but empathy. –Bret FetzerStills from Gridiron Gang (click for larger image)Beyond Gridiron Gang at Amazon.comMore Football FilmsThe SoundtrackOther Films about Underdogs