by Charles Kirkland, Jr.
When a washed-up, football star violates the law and is sentenced to community service, he makes a plan to re-invent himself and his image by coaching a group of kids in the art of football in The Underdoggs.
Jaycen “Two Js” Jennings is a reviled ex-football star. He constantly alienates himself from the league and viciously berates those who are still playing football with him. One day after he crashes his car into a bus, “Two Js” is sentenced to complete a year of community service picking up dog excrement on the side of the road. When Jaycen runs into his old girlfriend at a little league football practice, he realizes that there is a better way for him to spend his community service. He goes to the judge, another one of his exes from his hometown, and requests to serve his community service coaching the troubled group of boys.
The Underdoggs is written by Isaac Schamis based upon a pitch by Constance Schwartz-Morini, Danny Segal, and Snoop Dogg. It stars Snoop Dogg, Tika Sumpter, Mike Epps, and George Lopez. The Underdoggs is directed by Charles Stone III (Drumline, Paid In Full, Mr. 3000).
It has been said that a movie can have the same plot as another film as long as it executes the film differently. The Underdoggs is simply an unapologetic, urban remake of The Mighty Ducks. The movie is beat for beat the same film. In fact, Emilio Estevez’s name is used in the film as a verb, and Jaycen is going to “Mighty Duck” the situation. So with this level of blatant story recreation, the execution has to be incredible right? Uh, no.
Seriously, there is a segment of the population that will find this movie incredibly hilarious. Honestly, for a lot of the movie, it is hilarious. However, it is not long into the film that one realizes what it is that elicits the laughing, and the extremely foul language. Unlike many movies where there is a lot of foul language at the beginning of the movie and then settles into its sweet spot and everyone grows by the end of the movie. Not this one. From the moment when Snoop speaks until the end credits, Snoop’s language is entirely laced with evil and mean profanity. He never lets up. The worst part is that the children are just as profane as Snoop, if not more. Charles Stone III knows that the language in the film is excessive because he attempts to dissuade those who should object by displaying a semi-humorous disclaimer at the start of the movie.
This movie is a huge disappointment. Charles Stone has made movies that are culturally famous and has employed a liberal use of profanity in those previous films. The use of curses was a lot more judicious in those movies than it was here. There is no excuse. If Snoop used the language that he does in this film with the actual little league team that the coaches, the parents would fire him, regardless of how famous he is. Even the infamous Bob Knight would say that Snoop has gone too far.
As ugly and distasteful as the profanity is in this movie, it is not nearly the worst of the film. There is one scene, deep into the second act of the film, that is so reprehensible and disgusting, that it is wondered how Amazon allowed it to be shown.
Rated R for pervasive language, sexual references, drug use, and some underage drinking, The Underdoggs is a comedy action film that craps the bed in its delivery. The message in the film is horrible. Instead of just turning off one’s brain to watch this movie, someone would have to be high to excuse and ignore the despicable aspects of the movie and enjoy it. Unfortunately, you’re going to need the best marijuana that you can get your hands on to enjoy this one.
The Underdoggs can be seen on Amazon Prime on January 26, 2024.
Grade: F-