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By: Jane Louise Boursaw
Photography: Courtesy Photos
Date Posted: 11/17/2008
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Movie Reviews: The Longshots
“The Longshots” probably would have fared better as a Disney Channel original movie or direct-to-DVD fare. It’s a bit of a snooze, but still offers a good message about trying new things and going out of your comfort zone.
Based on a true story, the movie follows Jasmine Plummer (Keke Palmer), an 11-year-old middle-schooler who’s still smarting from the disappearance of her deadbeat dad years ago. She’s far from pop
ular in her school, and the target of frequent taunts and insults from her classmates.
When her mom (Tasha Smith) takes an extra shift at the diner to make ends meet, she encourages Jasmine to find an after-school activity. She also encourages her ex’s brother, Curtis (Ice Cube), to spend time with Jasmine for a few hours after school.
Turns out that Curtis is a former high school football star, so he starts teaching Jasmine a f
ew moves. They’re cheered on by the older homeless guys in town. She’s pretty good at it, and Curtis nudges her to try out for the local Pop Warner football team. In fact, she’s better than most of the guys on the team. They start winning games, and the economically depressed town gets a fresh outlook on life.
There’s not much new here in the way of sports movies. An underdog gets involved, a family bonds, a town cheers,
and victory is within their grasp. “The Longshots” is fairly predictable in every way, but I love that it’s a good message for girls.
I jumped on the Keke Palmer bandwagon after seeing her in 2006’s “Akeelah and the Bee” with Laurence Fishburne. “The Longshots” doesn’t really showcase her considerable talents, and I’m hoping that some of her upcoming projects fare better in that regard.
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