Facing the Giants (2006)

13% of critics liked it
(24 reviews)
84% of users liked it
(85,454 ratings)

A failing high-school football coach finds that in order to succeed he must convince his team that there's more to sports than fame and glory in an inspirational tale of courage on the gridiron and the power of God's word. Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick) has been coaching the Shiloh Eagles for six… More A failing high-school football coach finds that in order to succeed he must convince his team that there's more to sports than fame and glory in an inspirational tale of courage on the gridiron and the power of God's word. Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick) has been coaching the Shiloh Eagles for six years, and he has yet to realize his dream of a winning season. When the team's star player transfers schools, the first three games of the new season show no promise for improvement, troubles at home begin to take their toll, and a plot among the player's fathers to have him fired finds his future in football looking bleak, Coach Taylor is faced with the prospect of either cutting his losses and admitting defeat or turning his life over to God in an attempt to test the true power of faith. With his job on the line and nothing left to lose, Coach Taylor convinces his determined team of underdogs that there's nothing they can't accomplish with a little faith -- including the miracle of a winning season when all hope seems lost. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 51 min.
Directed By: Alex Kendrick
Written By: Alex Kendrick, Stephen Kendrick
Genres: Drama, Faith & Spirituality

In Theaters: Sep 29, 2006 Limited
On DVD: Jan 30, 2007
Studio: Destination Film

Critic Reviews

Joe Leydon, Variety
By preaching to the converted so heavy-handedly, the filmmakers fumble an opportunity to reach beyond their target demo of devout churchgoers.
William Lobdell, Los Angeles Times
Facing the Giants feels like an overly earnest church sketch of the type many evangelical congregations use as a teaching tool on Sunday between the worship music and pastor's message.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
The wholesomeness of the message and the movie's cast make it feel 1950s retro.
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
I'm not about to argue with the message, but the delivery system sinks below the level of after-school special, and the acting matches.
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
The religious proselytizing in this football movie is about as subtle as a blindside hit by a 300-pound defensive end.
Heather Boerner, Common Sense Media
Faith-based pigskin tale.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
If only Facing the Giants were a film first and a ministry tool second. While the message is heartfelt, there are times when you almost want to shoot the messenger.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
Kendrick needs to learn that didacticism isn't a film aesthetic.
Rob Nelson, City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul
The separation of church and cinema amounts to a long yard at most in this high school football sermon from Georgia-based Baptist pastor Alex Kendrick.
Phil Hall, EDGE Boston
Earnest but amateurish.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
In a season in which Invincible and Gridiron Gang already have laid claim to the title of inspirational football movie, this looks like an also-ran.
Josh Rosenblatt, Austin Chronicle
Its feel-good storyline, shopworn message, and bottomless sermonizing would have played better in Sunday school than on the big screen, which is -- let's face it -- Babylon's turf.
Linda Cook, Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)
Here's a badly acted movie with a terrific story line that makes it well worth seeing.
Paul Doro, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A sermon much more than it is a movie.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
Most of the actors read their lines earnestly but flatly, and Kendrick has done them no favors by pushing them to play broad comedy in some scenes and anguished drama in others.
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide
Fitfully entertaining… To reach a broader audience, though, the filmmakers will have to scrap their playbook and learn a whole new set of rules.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
Would seem sincere enough, but it's just a chain of ludicrous cliches of both the sports and religious variety.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
For it to have any appeal for persons who do not share the movie's beliefs would indeed be miraculous -- it's appallingly bad as anything other than a sermon.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
Facing the Giants falls victim to the tell-don't-show brand of filmmaking, in which every character always says exactly what he's feeling and every time a character's flaws are pointed out to him, they are immediately corrected.
Ted Fry, Seattle Times
Those looking for an evening's diversion will find it an amateur exercise that has the feel of a film-school project.

Read all 21 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Thomas B

this is a really inspiring movie. my expectations for it were on the floor before i watched it, but i actually really liked it.
Bobby H

Facing The Giants is better then "Friday Night Lights", but not quite a "Remember The Titans." It stands as my second favorite football movie ever. I watched this with not high hopes as I did not know any of the actors and honestly I dont really care for… More
Facing The Giants is better then "Friday Night Lights", but not quite a "Remember The Titans." It stands as my second favorite football movie ever. I watched this with not high hopes as I did not know any of the actors and honestly I dont really care for religion. I personally am Agonostic and do not really know if I even believe in God, let alone powers to make a losing team a winning team, but the movie has some intense scenes. While I dont neccesarily care for Christanity this movie shows a deep sense of faith, hope, honor, glory, and committment. It has everything that a football player, and a person in general should have. The actors although hardly known turn out with amazing performances, the plot is convincing and carries interest through out the entire movie, and it has some of the most memorable football scenes a sports movie can offer. It's truly a touching film, that I cannot wait to buy.
Lafe F

An uplifting Christian-heavy football movie with a decent budget. Sappy and predictable at times, it offers hope for those who need to win. There were respectable production values considering the movie was funded by a smaller studio.
Bruce B

One of The best Movies I have seen in a long time, Its good to still see that a movie that includes religion still makes it to the big Screen. If you love the lord and Love friday night football you will Love this movie.
Dillon L

Predicatable plotting along with religion being shoved in our face repeatedly make this 'drama' near impossible for non-christians to enjoy.
Dannielle A

There were a couple of "canned" scenes (meaning that they were Christian cliché) but I still got choked up anyway so I guess the performance was good enough to convince me. Great story. Inspirational. I liked the moral at the end.
Jackson W

Practically a Christian-based remake of Remember the Titans, yet still drives home a powerful message
William G

A drama about football and faith that amasses all of the clichés that both subjects all too frequently indulge in.
Andrew F

Not that great. Terrible acting, terrible screenplay, but the message was good. Watch Friday Night Lights instead.
Erin C

Some of the acting was a little cheesy and over the top, and the majority of the movie was pretty predictable, but the story was very inspirational and touching. I enjoyed it very much.
Stephen M

the message is clear. turn to god and you'll get a new truck and win state. garbage acting to boot.
Moe E

Not just another rags to riches football story. Shows what's truly possible when we exhibit faith, hope and love. Believers will truly be blessed by it...