The Longshots (2008)

40% of critics liked it
(72 reviews)
64% of users liked it
(22,079 ratings)

Former Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst directs Ice Cube and Keke Palmer in this battle-of-the-sexes sports comedy about a former high-school football star who coaches his niece to become the first-ever girl quarterback in the history of Pop Warner football. Based on a true story, The Longshots opens… More Former Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst directs Ice Cube and Keke Palmer in this battle-of-the-sexes sports comedy about a former high-school football star who coaches his niece to become the first-ever girl quarterback in the history of Pop Warner football. Based on a true story, The Longshots opens in the struggling American town of Minden, IL. The Minden Browns used to be one of the strongest teams in the Pop Warner league, but lately things have taken a turn for the worst. Recognizing that his old team needs some fresh blood in order to make a comeback, a former player (Cube) trains his 11-year-old niece, Jasmine (Palmer), to throw the ball like a true gridiron giant. While the powers that be scoff at the idea of a female quarterback, they soon begin to sing a different tune as Jasmine leads the Browns to the championships and an invigorating shot at redemption. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: Fred Durst
Written By: Nick Santora, Doug Atchison
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 22, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Dec 2, 2008
Studio: The Weinstein Company

Critic Reviews

Gregory Kirschling, Entertainment Weekly
The most surprising thing about the inspirational sports movie The Longshots is not that there isn't already an inspirational sports movie with that exact name. The big shock is that the director Fred Durst -- and he doesn't do half bad.
Adam Graham, Detroit News
A cliché-riddled, warm and fuzzy, small-town sports drama.
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
The Longshots is a likable enough Cinderella story, one whose heart is clearly in the right place, even if it winds up on its sleeve once too often.
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News
This genuinely affecting movie, based on a true story, has a heart as big as a football field even when its plot points are telegraphed.
Kyle Smith, New York Post
The Longshots (awful title, guys) plays every instrument in the cliché orchestra, but it at least plays them well, and its characters are likable enough to settle in with for a pleasant hour and a half.
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
Its charms, however slight or familiar, are present and its family-friendly characters and dialogue are refreshing.
Neil Pond, American Profile
Despite its roots in real life, much of The Longshots feels like Hollywood stirring the pot.
Mark Bazer, Boston Phoenix
The script may have taken an hour to write, and I hope they got a bulk rate on generic inspirational music, but Cube and his young co-star, Keke Palmer, are plenty charismatic, and Durst doesn't knock over the camera.
Chris Bumbray, JoBlo's Movie Emporium
It has a nice message, and despite the fact that I feel he's been totally emasculated over the years, Cube remains a solid actor.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Durst's surprisingly gentle and understated direction lends the proceedings authenticity even when they cover the most pro forma ground.
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
That's the problem with this well-intentioned celebration of the spirit of Title IX: it wants so badly to be liked that it tries to blend into the crowd. [Blu-ray]
Christian Toto, Donne Tempo
Ice Cube brings his family film "A" game to The Longshots
Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com
A winner for the whole family.
Harper Baines, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
It is unabashedly sentimental and, at times sincerely touching, mainly when Ice Cube and Palmer are alone together on the screen.
Ethan Alter, Film Journal International
Cube and Durst have certainly survived worse career flops, but the chances of them working together again on a film? Let's just say it's a longshot.
Michael Dance, The Cinema Source
It's rare to see a well-made movie that empowers young girls the way this one does. So who am I to complain about the plot being formulaic?
Sean Gandert, Paste Magazine
It's a by-the-numbers Hollywood movie, but a surprisingly competent one.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Film Threat
Yet another inspirational sports flick.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
A Disney wannabe, Fred Durst's girl power sports flick is ho hum and very forgettable...
Todd Gilchrist, IGN Movies
The based-on-a-true-story tale of Pop Warner's first female quarterback is a feelgood picture with not a single convention out of place that manages not to offend even if it also doesn't offer a single shred of originality.

Read all 22 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Red L

This story behind this movie was OK. I didn't think Keke Palmer played the role tough enough to play an 11 year old Pop Warner football player. Even for 11 year olds, it is a bruising game. But realism aside, it is an uplifting story.
Dean M

Another remarkable true story on American football, but this film is a heart-warming and touching family-friendly, and similarly funny like <i>Hardball</i>. What an unbelievable and fabulous story of the first girl joined in football with boys as a new quarterback with… More
Another remarkable true story on American football, but this film is a heart-warming and touching family-friendly, and similarly funny like <i>Hardball</i>. What an unbelievable and fabulous story of the first girl joined in football with boys as a new quarterback with assist from her uncle, an ex-forlorn high school footballer. Ice Cube does an excellent performance as an uncle (a great father-figure) of the first girl quarterback in Pop Warner football history.
Fascade F

You should really see this...for the " come back kid " story in all of us. See this...it is packed with loads of fun...especially if you are a football fan!
Joseph E

I felt rather pleased with this film, only to the extent that it was both funny and sweet.
William G

Not a single new play here.
Donna D

Inspiring movie. Great for the family. I really enjoyed watching this movie and the story was entertaining on a girl quarterback.
Jim W

The Longshots is a good family film about a down and out ex-football player (Ice Cube) who gets the responsibility to watch his niece ( Keke Palmer) after school. She's anti-social and un-popular in school and he just lounges around in the same clothes every day. They… More
The Longshots is a good family film about a down and out ex-football player (Ice Cube) who gets the responsibility to watch his niece ( Keke Palmer) after school. She's anti-social and un-popular in school and he just lounges around in the same clothes every day. They learn that they need each other more than they thought. He becomes her father figure and teaches her how to play football. He realizes that she has a great arm and that she just might be what the awful high school football team could use. The Longshots as a football movie isn't any different than most sport films. You know it will either be one of those films where they win or they lose and are happy anyway. But it's hard to keep your eyes off the screen anyway. Ice Cube and Keke Palmer have chemistry and work great together. Even if the film is kind of overly heartwarming, it's still a much better movie for the whole family than something like Marley and Me. If you cry during Longshots, at least you can say it's happy tears.