| Gridiron Gang | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Phil Joanou |
| Produced by | Neal Moritz Lee Stanley Shane Stanley Michael I. Rachmil |
| Written by | Jeff Maguire Lee Stanley |
| Starring | Dwayne Johnson Xzibit L. Scott Caldwell Kevin Dunn Danny Martinez Leon Rippy Jade Yorker |
| Music by | Trevor Rabin |
| Studio | Original Film |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | September 15, 2006 |
| Running time | 126 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $30 million |
| Box office | $41,480,851[1] |
Gridiron Gang is a 2006 American film starring Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, L. Scott Caldwell, and Kevin Dunn. It was filmed in California at Camp Kilpatrick, a Los Angeles County Probation Department facility. It is loosely based on the true story of the Kilpatrick Mustangs during the 1990 season. It was released on September 15, 2006 by Columbia Pictures.
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Sean Porter (Dwayne Johnson) works at Kilpatrick Detention Center in Los Angeles. Frustrated at not being able to help the kids get away from their problems in life, such as street gangs and drug dealings, he decides to create a football team so the kids can feel like they're part of something. Porter believes that football will teach the teenage inmates what it takes to be responsible, mature, and winners. He picks out a few kids in the room that he feels will benefit from this program and requires that they practice with him the following day. He states to his new team, the Kilpatrick Mustangs, "You are all losers, But if you stick with the program you could all be winners at the end." Two of the teens do not get along because they are from rival gangs. Willie Weathers (Jade Yorker) is from the 88’s and Kelvin Owens (David V. Thomas) is from the 95’s. The first game is against the best team in the league, Barrington. The game starts out somewhat positive for the Mustangs, as they recover a fumble on the first drive, but things quickly turn. They are demolished by Barrington, losing by 38 points. After starting 0-2, the Mustangs start winning games as they learn to work together. Kelvin and Willie finally shake hands when they win a game by one touchdown after Kelvin makes a big block for Willie. Near the end of the season, the Mustangs are headed for the playoffs. They are getting more publicity and more fans along the way.
One of Willie’s 88 gang mates Free stops by the field. He realizes that Kelvin is a 95. Free and Kelvin get into a fight, and Free shoots Kelvin in the shoulder. As Free prepares to put another bullet in Kelvin's head, Willie runs toward Free and tackles him to the ground to save Kelvin. Free is shocked that Willie helped Kelvin and not him. The police show up, and Free runs off. He fires at the responding officers who fire in return, killing him. Although Kelvin survives the attack, he will not be able to play in the finals. In the next game, against Barrington, the Mustangs go into the half down 14-0. Willie gives a motivational speech, and they go out and beat Barrington on the last play of the game. It is revealed in the narration that they lost the championship game, but no one called them losers. A few months later, Sean's football method is officially made part of the program.
Nearly all the kids who were on the Mustangs are now somewhere doing good things. Willie Weathers is playing football for a top boarding school, Kelvin Owens is playing football for Washington High, Kenny Bates is living with his mother, Junior Palaita is working for a furniture company. Unfortunately, five are back in jail, and Bug Wendall was killed in a drive-by shooting in Compton.
The film earned $14,414,640 at the domestic box office during its opening weekend. As of June 12, 2007, it has grossed $41,480,851 worldwide.[1]
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