My All American Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

My All American Blu-ray Movie Review

Even as the body fails, the spirit perseveres.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 7, 2016

Heroic, overcome-the-odds, stand-up-and-cheer Sports movies are a dime-a-dozen these days, many of them telling the same basic story, just with different colors on the front of the jersey and different names on the back. My All American isn't one of those movies, at least not in the generically traditional sense. It is in some of the broadest arcing and technical ways the same, but it's vastly different at its center. Those already familiar with the true-life story of 1960s Texas football star Freddie Steinmark know how it ends. It's not about the little guy triumphantly winning the big game or proving all the naysayers fools. Those Rudy-esque elements certainly drive part of the story, but My All American isn't concerned with on the field glory. It's instead about how one young man looked personal disaster in the face and stood against the odds as long as he could. And in the end, it doesn't matter that he played football. It matters that earned the respect of those around him, that he inspired them, that he lived the life he was given.

Look up, look ahead.

Freddie Steinmark (Finn Wittrock) is one heck of a football player. He zigs and zags across the field, just as his father (Michael Reilly Burke) taught him. He's a bit undersized -- OK, a lot undersized -- but his skill is obvious and his potential seemingly unlimited. He dominates the high school scene, but college recruits can't get past his vital statistics. That is, all but one. Freddie and his teammate Bobby Mitchell (Rett Terrell) are recruited by Coach Darrell Royal (Aaron Eckhart) to play at the University of Texas. Freddie gets a full ride and impresses both on and off the field. Even his high school sweetheart, Linda (Sarah Bolger), has followed him to Austin. Everything seems to be going well, and his dream of playing for the Bears or Broncos seems a certainty until he receives a diagnosis that will change his life forever.

My All American switches from heroic to heartbroken in a sudden way that shakes the audience as deeply as it shakes Freddie. And that's life. My All American deals in life's difficulties in a tangibly honest way, looking at how life can knock down even the fiercest competitor, the most beloved teammate, the best boyfriend, the best friend, and so on. Yet it's not meant to be a sad story, even if it probably won't leave a dry eye or soul unmoved in the audience. It's meant to inspire. Even as it inspires in reverse of the usual Sports movie manner -- the glory comes first and the challenge comes second -- it is perhaps even more inspirational considering how it's much more relatable. Everybody knows somebody -- maybe even themselves -- who has been hit hard by life's cruelties. My All American doesn't set out to say everything will be fine. It sets out to show the value of living life when life is there to be lived, to not shrink away from hopes and dreams because one never knows when that opportunity will come to a close. In that way, the movie -- its story -- is a triumph.

Thematically, the movie is a winner. Structurally, it's rather routine. Part of that comes from the way the story unfolds, with the high points coming early and often rather than in the big, crescendo moment of glory. But there's no mistaking that, outside of the core theme, the movie plays out with routine as its driving point and performances that satisfy requirements but fail to reach that level of memorable triumph. Part of that may be due to genre over-saturation and the higher expectations that come for a movie working in the shadows of several classics, but neither Aaron Eckhart nor Finn Wittrock dig all that deeply. Their work feels more superficial, shaped by basic plot lines and archetypes rather than truly intimate, deeply held values and connections with the people they play. Angelo Pizzo, making his directorial debut, is best known for writing both Rudy and Hoosiers, two of the finest Sports films cinema has ever seen. Sadly, he never quite balances both duties to total satisfaction. His pen is a bit mightier than his lens. The movie's technical merits are a bit flat and straightforward, but he handles directorial duty well enough to convey both the story's core theme and its superficialities, such as football action scenes, well enough.

My All American Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

My All American's 1080p transfer isn't an all-star, but it gets the job done. Details rarely reach the level of "exquisite," often failing victim to a lower grade and very flat digital source that leaves white football jerseys, for example, looking more like globs of white rather than finely textured uniform tops. Faces, football field turf, and other objects sometimes struggle to offer more than basic definition, but a few more muscularly adept details creep in at times, like textures on linens in the hospital or the leathery seats in Coach Royal's office. Colors are vibrant but not particularly nuanced. The movie opens with a gorgeous and eye-popping overhead of the UT football field that offers brilliant green and orange colors, but colors tend to struggle to offer more than simple shades of blue and yellow at Freddie's high school and burnt orange in Texas. Black crush devours some darker scenes, such as when Freddie and Linda park at night, and source noise can be rather severe at times. On the other hand, the image doesn't struggle with serious bouts of banding, aliasing, macroblocking, or other eyesores.

My All American Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

My All American's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack offers enough punch in its football action moments and nuance in its quieter areas to satisfy in all key areas. Football crashes, tackles, and falls to the turf deliver satisfying oomph and clarity of finer details while maintaining a wide enough stage to encompass all the action. Crowd cheers are nicely enveloping and widely so, particularly across the back. External ambient effects are effective. Crickets chirp in the rear (though most prominently in the back right speaker), and other light supportive details in school hallways and other, busier locals are nicely integrated. Music is clear and detailed, particularly the percussion-heavy collegiate style instrumentals that play throughout. Dialogue delivery is clear and detailed with natural center placement and prioritization.

My All American Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

My All American contains two featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included.

• The Spirit of Freddie Steinmark (1080p, 2:57): Cast and crew reflect on the real individual whose life inspired the film.
• A Look Inside My All American (1080p, 2:39): A quick-cut piece that recaps the movie's core story and characters and being respectful to history and the Texas Longhorns, intermixing interview clips, scenes from the film, and behind-the-scenes footage.

My All American Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

My All American doesn't push boundaries, but it's a welcome change of pace in the "Inspirational Sports" genre. It reverses the usual trajectory, which is here much more reflective of life and, in its own way, more inspirational considering its embrace of the truism that things don't always end well rather than, as is the norm for these sorts of movie, with great personal triumph. The movie's script is a little flat, its direction a bit underwhelming, and its performances only good rather than great, but it's a solid enough movie on its thematic merits. Universal's Blu-ray release of My All American features fair video and good audio. Supplements are limited to two brief featurettes. The movie is worth watching, but a purchase is only recommended at reduced cost.