Forever Strong - 8 stars out of 10

Forever Strong - 8 stars out of 10

The critics may have hated "Forever Strong," but I found it to be a moving sports drama that explores an important theme that has often been left out - the effect of strong moral behavior on a team's success.  Coach Larry Gelwix has accomplished incredible feats as a result of his strong code of ethics and I'm thankful that his story has become accessible through this film.  Who knew that there was more to Gary Cole than "Office Space"?  He was fantastic, giving a very heartfelt performance.  I loved all of the Christian values that his character had, and belief that rugby is not about building a strong team, but about building men that are strong in character.  I was also really buying into Sean Astin's performance.  I like that this film showed underage drinking and drugs in a negative light, as most films glamourize it and add to our country's moral downfall.  Although I found much of Sean Faris' acting to be overdramatic or over the top, his character had a nice transformation (in spite of his acting) and I could truly feel the change of heart by the end of the film.  Neal McDonough was also pretty hit or miss, creating the emotional climax of the film with that one tear, but also feeling WAY overacted in the first half of the movie.  "Forever Strong" is a film that can be enjoyed by families, and teach a lot, too.  With intense rugby action enhanced by great cinematography and a story that you desperately want to resolve the right way, this success story of Larry Gelwix's morally driven coaching style will leave you satisfied.