Life is not a success-only journey.

Correction: Life is NEVER a success-only journey.

In our social-media driven world, wherein we know most people through their Instagram-worthy moments, it’s easy to forget that. Just another reason to love movies about underdogs. “American Underdog” is a wonderful example.

I am a member of the MoMentum Influencer Network and
had the opportunity to see the film for the purpose of this review.
All opinions are mine. This is my Universe, after all.

Kurt Warner is a Hall of Fame football player. He was that 1% of 1% of 6% of high school players dreaming of making football his life. But like all great underdogs, he was not the obvious choice for glory. He went to a small college and wait for it… sat on the bench.

He sat on that bench for four years and was about to do so again as a fifth-year senior. Not because Kurt wasn’t a good player but because he wouldn’t honor the plays and “stay in the pocket”. Faced with nothing to show recruiters, he put his head down, and did the hard thing so he could walk off the field head held very high.

This will become the pattern of his life. Kurt can be stubborn. Kurt can be unprepared. Kurt misses opportunities. But Kurt keeps putting his head down, doing hard things, and moving forward.

As you know and expect, good things come to him on the field despite all the challenges, mistakes, and missteps.

The great things come, however, when partnered with his wife, Brenda. She is another fighter with a spirit derived from a tough life and a faith that has buoyed her. The two are each other’s champions and at times, challenges.

At the heart of this movie is this love story and the faith that shaped it. Kurt would not be the star football player we know him for if Brenda were not there holding his hand in a barn dance or in prayer. The two push back against doubters and their own doubt to become each others MVP and for me, that is the real beauty of the movie.

Zachary Levi and Anna Paquin play the couple. I know them from so many previous projects and yet, they disappear into the roles. This film rises to the level of previous Underdog favorites - “Rudy”, “The Blind Side”, and “Miracle”, among others.

“American Underdog” opens Christmas Day and I highly recommend it. The film is a true PG - take your family. Even if you go in with your heads down, I promise you will leave with your heads held high.